Beyond The Stars
by sassykitten1701
Summary: Lucy has watched her friends find love while she's stood by alone getting more and more isolated. The dark Guild Nightmare has been stalking the royal family of the island nation of Archipelago and dark things are brewing, Lucys loneliness isn't the only trouble she has ahead of her (Continuation Of Mind, Body and Soul, joint author work of Sassykitten1701 and Desna)
1. Chapter 1

BEYOND THE STARS

Lucy has watched her friends find love while she's stood by alone getting more and more isolated. The dark Guild Nightmare has been stalking the royal family of the island nation of Archipelago and dark things are brewing, Lucys loneliness isn't the only trouble she has ahead of her (Continuation Of Mind, Body and Soul, joint author work of Sassykitten1701 and Desna) (Fairy Tail is owned by Hiro Mashima, the plot and oc's are a combination of Sassykitten1701 and Desna)

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Chapter 1

Lucy felt oddly ill flying away from the islands but she pressed her lips together and forced herself to focus on the luxuries of the cruise ship Arman had gotten her on for her flight back to Fiore.

She used the time to get organized, focusing on all she needed to do when she got home, going over things with Virgo and Loke who were both, decidedly, acting weird.

Virgo kept giving Loke pointed looks and Loke kept squirming like when she caught him perving out on her from time to time. But Loke denied anything was up and Virgo would only look pointedly at Loke when Lucy asked her so she let it drop. They would tell her when they were ready.

"Ok, so bags are packed, you didn't have to clean the apartment Virgo but...thank you, I appreciate it. I have two missions lined up, this one near Oshiban hunting down a mysterious monster and finding some missing villagers sounds like the big time eater so we'll do the one in Clover Town assisting in preparing for a birthday party first since it's time sensitive." Lucy decided standing in her apartment a couple of days later.

Cana eyed her friend. "You sure you don't want company Lu?" She asked again and Lucy shook her head.

"No, No I'm good, I want time alone Cana, all these whirlwind romances all around and everything has me feeling kind of off ya know? I want to do some solo work, train with my spirits and get my head clear."

Cana sighed. "Well, alright, you know I'm here for ya though girl, I haven't flitted off with a Dragon Slayer or, and yes I still hate her for this, married two sexy beasts and gotten all caught up in endless three ways sandwiched between two ...oh my Gods Lu stop me before I hurt myself…" Cana groaned and Lucy laughed.

"You do it to yourself, I try not to think about it, hence going on these jobs, give me time to clear those thoughts out so I can be happy without images of a three way with Bickslow and Gajeel haunting me." She stuck her tongue out when Cana threw a pillow from her own bed at her.

"Aren't you dating the big beastmaster now? Beck?" She asked, tossing the pillow back to Cana who caught it and put it back on the bed.

Cana shrugged. "I have no idea, all I know is I haven't even gotten the mans pants down yet, just one hot and heavy make out and some seriously decent oral from him in the storage closet before he had to leave to help with the whales, I'll admit, the man really curled my toes, never had one go down on me as good as he did." Cana sighed.

Her friend walked with her to the train station and sat with her while she waited for the train.

"I might go get a job myself, still doing good off the last one but always good to build the nest egg ya know?" She said.

Lucy smiled at her, hugging her as her train was called. "I think you should, you've got my number, keep me posted ok?" She called and Cana grinned.

"Back at ya Lu, have a good time, I thought about taking that Birthday gig myself." She admitted.

Lucy read most of the train ride to Clover Town, and was smiling when the frantic mother of the little girl whose birthday they were arranging met her, burying her in lists of things that had to be taken care of and Lucy took it all in stride, summoning Crux to help her organize the womans plans and as soon as she had set her bags down in the room in the large mansion the family lived in where she would be staying for the week while she prepared the birthday party for that weekend, she headed into town to start getting everything lined up the flustered mother seemed unable to handle.

The following day she was sitting across a small table in a cafe chatting with Jenny from Blue Pegasus who was laughing with her going over the lists she had.

"And she waited until a week before the party to get help? No wonder she hired a mage. I can help you with some of these things no problem Lucy, the costumes and everything I can have by the end of the day and I can get Ren and Eve to help us run the party, they'd look great dressed as knights, especially Eve." She chuckled and Lucy grinned.

"Just no Ichiya, I couldn't deal with him in the mood I've been in lately, he can keep his parfumes to himself this time around." She said and Jenny laughed.

"You know, I love the man, but I get it. He's off on a big mission anyway, gone for at least another two or three weeks WITH your Ex by the way so you don't need to worry about Hibiki either." She said with a sly smile and Lucy grinned heaving a relieved sigh.

"Thank the Gods for small favors. Ok, so you get the costumes and line up our knights and I'll go arrange for some white horses, surprisingly, the family has horses but none of them are white." Lucy shrugged and paid for their little lunch while Jenny stood and headed off to handle her tasks. Lucy was glad she'd decided to call in help on this.

With her spirits she could potentially have handled it all but it would have been hectic and stressful and she really wanted to release stress not pile more onto herself. She'd pay Jenny and the guys well, the reward for this job was substantial so she could afford to pay help.

She managed to hire four white horses for the party, even found some really pretty ones thanks to help from the Stable manager at the estate she was staying at, who also had no idea why the family didn't just buy some white horses since their 10 year old daughter clearly liked them so much she had requested Princesses and Knights on white horses for her party.

She got together with the estate staff and organized the tables, chairs, decorations, meal plans and even pulled some strings and got Wessermans in Magnolia to bake a massive birthday cake that would arrive the morning of the party.

She sent pretty notes enchanted to show a Princess dancing when opened to all the party guests requesting they dress as a Princess or Prince for the party too, since the mother had forgotten to ask in the official invitations.

By the end of the week Lucy was sitting laughing with Jenny Ren and Eve over dinner the night before the party. They had spent the day working on their horses and practicing their roles. Ren and Eve were even going to joust and had been practicing that all week. The whole show was going to be a lot of fun.

Ren would of course be Jennys knight and Eve was all too happy to be Lucys, she'd been dodging his flirting and requests for a date all week and it had lightened her mood somewhat being so sought after. Made her feel a little less like some lonely loser nobody wanted.

It wasn't that she wanted Eve, no, he was so far into cheesy overboard she'd never even consider the boy but it was just nice to be wanted.

Somehow they made it through the party, it was insane, 70 children under the age of 12, their parents, the mother of the birthday girl was so high strung Lucy wanted to channel her inner Erza and just knock her out like a sick Natsu on a train ride.

The estate staff dug into cleaning up and the stable manager offered to take the horses back to the farm Lucy had hired them from so that left returning the costumes and Jenny, Ren and Eve offered to help her haul them back.

Once they were turned in Jenny and Ren somehow managed to "subtly" slip away leaving her, surprise surprise, alone with Eve who was trying his damndest to get her to agree to dinner with him.

"Nothing fancy, just the italian restaurant, they have a wonderful selection of wines. Please Lucy, it would mean a lot to me to get the chance to have you to myself for an evening." He pleaded and Lucy almost rolled her eyes.

"Eve…" She started and he held up a hand, holding a rose and she had to struggle not to laugh, dear Gods, Hibiki had been bad but this was crazy.

"One dinner Lucy, nothing more...unless you decide you want more…" He said smoothly.

She sighed. "Fine, Eve, JUST dinner, I'm your friend, FRIEND Eve, absolutely nothing more got it?!" She was firm, or tried to be. Not easy with the Trimens, they never took "no" seriously.

Eve grinned. "Then I will pick you up at 7!" He said brightly. Lucy again barely refrained from rolling her eyes, retreating to the estate, grateful it was quiet, the insanity of the day having sent the family to their bedrooms early.

She changed, refusing to dress up or even particularly nice. Jeans, a looser fitting plain blue t-shirt she'd stolen from Gray to assure there was no cleavage on display and a zip up hoodie and trainers. Plain, not a damn bit of it said she gave a single fuck about whether or not she looked nice for Eve.

Smiling she pulled her hair up into a ponytail and called it good, heading outside to meet him before he knocked and bothered the household she sighed, she really should have just stayed at the inn. She went to the end of the drive and sat on one of the stone fence ends.

"Date Princess? Are you sure it's wise to go out with one of the Trimens?" Loke voice surprised her and she looked at him as he came up and sat beside her.

"It's not really a date Loke, it's just dinner, he helped me with this last job, that's it. I'm just having dinner with him as a thank you." She said, sighing because she had really agreed out of loneliness.

She hadn't wanted to spend the evening alone, going out with Eve would help tire her out so she could sleep, tomorrow she would catch the train to Oshiban to start the monster hunt job for the village west of there and she really just needed to get through the evening.

Her dreams had been plaguing her more than ever with visions of an amethyst eyed lover. She knew Eve was no replacement, about as far from it as possible really, but he was jovial companionship that would likely spend the evening fanning her self esteem with cheesy compliments and damn it, she needed that right now.

"You should just turn in, it was such a busy day, or could have called me out. I'd be happy to go to dinner with you Princess." He said firmly, it was a little odd and she gave him a strange look.

"Since when do you care who I go to dinner with? Loke, why all the concern?" She demanded.

"You're not interested in him, it isn't fair to lead him on and any agreement to do anything at all with one of the Trimens is practically like telling them you'll have sex with them Princess, seriously, Hibiki, Eve and Ren are all friends of mine, I know how they work." He insisted and Lucy glared at him now.

"I am NOT leading him on Loke, I told him this doesn't mean a fucking thing, I've told you how many times now I...I'm not feeling great, I've TOLD you about it…" She said unhappily.

Loke nodded, keeping his eyes on the road watching for Eve, he should have told her by now, should tell her right now but his tongue stayed thick in his mouth, almost glued down.

"I can handle Eve." Lucy said firmly then and Loke narrowed his eyes, unsure if that was true in his Princess' current state.

"I know you can, I'm just worried, Lucy, a man like Eve could manipulate you, get you to do things right now because of how you've been feeling that you normally wouldn't...I don't trust him." He said softly and Lucys eyes widened when he used her name, driving home how serious he was.

"Let me come along...please..if it's just a friendly dinner he won't mind at all, I'll pay for my own meal." Loke said and Lucy smiled, hugging him suddenly. It was comforting, a soft bit of ease in the tension she had been struggling with for months.

She had been aching, struggling, watching friends become mated, married all around her while she remained so painfully alone feeling more and more isolated and left behind. It felt good, this moment of real care from Loke.

"Ok...I'd like that." Lucy agreed and Loke smiled, trying not to sigh with relief, thanking the Gods she was accepting him as a chaperone, because whether she knew it or not, she needed it.

Eve walked along happily, a rose in his hand, his suit neat, candy scented cologne on because he knew Lucy favored sweets and he was hoping she'd favor him. Her little protest about this meaning nothing didn't deter him at all, she was just shy, he could fix that.

He would be charming, complimentary, romantic, ply her with some wine and see how far he could get. He'd seen her face fall a few times when a younger couple had been affectionate, the husband wrapping his arms around the wife from behind and kising her cheek while they watched their child play.

He knew the melancholy look she'd gotten, she was pining to be loved and he'd be ever so happy to fill that need for the gorgeous blonde. Hibiki had been an idiot to let her go but Eve had practically cheered and set off fireworks when he'd found out. It meant he had a chance, an opening. Finding out she was still single from Jenny? He'd been beside himself.

So when he came around the bend and saw Lucy at first he was elated, a little disappointed she looked more ready to paint a house than go on a date but he wouldn't complain. Then he saw Loke and his smile almost fell.

"Hi Eve, Loke is coming with us." She said, hopping off the fence Loke grinning at Eve.

"Indeed, when my Princess said you two were going out for a friendly dinner I asked to go along, and she agreed, the more the merrier after all!" He said brightly thoroughly enjoying Eves dark glare at him.

"Yes...well, I only made reservations for two…" He started and Lucy waved her Lacrima com in front of him.

"I called the place and changed them, no worries. Lets get going, I'm starving, that cake and salad from lunch sure didn't hold me for long with all the running around we had to do!" She declared. Loke grinned at her.

"Full on pasta gorge?" He asked and Lucy grinned.

"You know it! I'll fill up tonight so I have steam tomorrow, I gotta make that village before dark so I can get started on my next job." She said.

Eve perked up. "Would you like company on the job?" He asked hopefully.

Lucy shook her head holding up her keys. "I have plenty, thank you, I really want to be alone with my spirits, we have alot of training to do right Loke?"

"Too true Princess, Stardress practice is a big need." He agreed.

Eve watched himself become a sullen third wheel and there was nothing he could do about it. Lucy included him, but the conversation stayed clear of anything he could redirect into anything romantic and when he asked if he could walk her home or have breakfast with her in the morning she shot him down.

"I really just need time alone Eve, it's sweet of you to offer, but no. If I want company I'll just summon one of my spirits. Be sure to thank Jenny and Ren again for me, have a good night." She stood then so suddenly his mouth fell open, tossed enough jewel to cover her meal down and headed for the door. Loke caught Eve before he could rise to try and follow her.

"NO, just fucking no, sit the fuck down, forget about her and leave her the fuck alone. She doesn't want you, doesn't think of you that way and never will so give it the fuck up." He snarled, slamming down jewel to cover his own meal and then some, down. Eve glared at him.

"You're not her keeper Loke." He snapped.

"I AM her protector Eve, and she wanted me along because she didn't want you thinking anything even remotely romantic was possible with her, so back the fuck off, let her go and NEVER try this shit again, clear?" His growl was harsh and Eves magic started to build as he glared defiantly back at the Lion but Loke shoved him back down in his chair and vanished, reappearing at Lucys side smiling calmly.

"Everything ok Loke?" She asked him.

Loke nodded. "Of course, just asked Eve to say hey to Hibiki for me." He shrugged, walking along with her in comfortable quiet and watching over her until she was safely asleep in her bed.

Once she was deep asleep, he ran his hands roughly over his face before going back to the celestial realm in a burst of gold.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"But you just got back!" Armans voice roaring from his chambers could be heard echoing down the hallway, and his children with their mates, who were gathered just outside of his cracked open door, winced at the volume and and eyed the dust falling from the ceiling with mild fascination. Arman may have a family full of dragon slayers now, but he himself was not one. If you didn't know that fact, you would think he was though, with the amount of power behind his roar just then.

"I know that Dad, and I'll be back again, but I have to go! I need to find her! That's why I need Draco's key! I need to make a contract with him so I can get going sooner!" Zen's own powerful voice roared back, causing more of his family outside the door to wince again.

"And I told you, I can't let you contract him yet! There are reasons Zen, and I can't break the promises I made!"

"You know I'm strong enough to do it!"

"I'm not questioning your strength Zen, far from it! I am literally tied by a promise that was made by my ancestors that I cannot break!"

"What the hell kind of promise is that?!"

"I can't tell you!" A slam, followed by the sound of something shattering told the gathered family that Arman had just thrown something. A surge in was power quick to follow, along with a familiar voice.

"Dear gods you are both being loud enough that we can hear you in the damn celestial realm!" The voice snapped.

"Dammit Draco, I want to contract you, but Dad won't give me your key!" Zen snarled.

"There was a reason I told you to contract the others first Zen, you should've listened!" Draco snarled back at him.

"You also told me only tuning with your draconic magic would allow me the abilities I would need to find my mate as fast as possible! She's out there! I can damn well feel her and she needs me! Her soul is all but screaming for me while BOTH of my fathers try to keep me under their boots!" Zen roared back.

Outside the room the Pradesh siblings exchanged wide eyed looks. None of them had ever raged against their father and Draco both, they had all learned deep respect and some healthy fear of boths anger.

"I'm not trying to hold you back Zen, I've gone through your life apart from you, me and your whole family, I didn't get to see your first steps, didn't put your first sword in your hands, we got nothing but glimpses of you growing up and have been praying for this day since the moment you had to leave!" Arman shouted and then sagged, sitting on the edge of his desk looking at his son.

So tall, strong, taller than Farron, more muscled from a lifetime of hard training, he rivaled Kaleb and Cristoff with his powerful build.

"Your mate doesn't know you yet, there has been no contact of any kind, they can last a while longer while you spend time with the family you were taken from. Dracos key is my only certain connection to you. If you leave so soon, right now that key is my link to you, I know through Draco I can always find you, and as you go out into Earthland to look for your mate I WANT that connection, I need it, I feel like I'm losing you all over again and I will keep my connection to you." He said quietly but firmly.

That deflated Zen, whose fury faded, his eyes darkening back down to their usual amethyst color. "Dad…" He pushed his hand through his hair and closed his eyes. He could feel her, the moment his eyes closed she was there, her soul was hurting, her heart was lonely and inside his dragon churned and paced anxiously, infuriated by the distance.

In her current state another male could lure her, could pull her to his bed with simple promises, basic kinds of love and pleasure would be enough to ease her pain and she might seek them in her confusion. His biggest fear was he would find a married woman with children and he would be forced to either break a home or doom them both to pine for each other and die young if he made the mistake of touching her. If he stayed away, only he would fade. She would just live her life never truly, fully happy. He felt like that wasn't the case, like she wasn't with anyone, how could she be as lonely as she was, but in his own state of anxious need, he wasn't exactly thinking or feeling anything clearly where his mate was concerned.

Still, his father was right, he'd been gone for so long. He narrowed his eyes. No, no, he wouldn't let his mate suffer.

"Dad, the sooner I go and get her, the sooner I bring her home and our family can be fully whole, as long as she's out there, miserable, calling me, I'm empty...Gods there's this gaping hole in me where I know she fits." He said quietly.

It dawned on Arman then that neither Cristoff nor Emzadi had been like this, neither had felt compelled to go find their mates, they both refused relationships, both wanted them, but neither were drawn anywhere, pulled, neither had said they felt their mates calling for them.

He looked at Draco. "Is this normal? Him feeling her like he does without ever having even been near her, hell, knowing his mate is even a woman? Neither of your siblings went through what you are Zen…" He said.

Draco shifted his weight and frowned "No. It's sparked by nearness, even dragons get close to their mate before they know, see them. I...Zens pull to his mate goes beyond the Dragon Slayer part of him, I believe it's tied into the Archangel magic. The Spirit King learned Archangels had soul mates along the same sort of bond Bickslow has with his mates. We are still searching through information, it's patchy, the Archangel mages weren't exactly chatty and none of them recorded things for posterity or wrote memoirs etc." Draco sighed.

"We believe, based on how his magic flows, and that he could start pulling images of her into the celestial realms watching mirrors that when Zen mates...he'll put a part of his own soul into her, similar to how I put a part of mine in him. Not the weaving Bickslows magic does mind you, an actual part of his soul and his mate has space for it, was born ready to have it, so she will feel the lack of it, yearn for it, and he feels her need." Draco said.

Out in the sitting room, Zens siblings and their spouses all waited, listening through the door the King had forgotten to close and seal when he had stormed into his office with Zen hot on his heels.

Bickslow sat with his mates, Levy on his lap, Gajeel beside him and his eyes had flown wide in shock.

"Bix?" Levy prodded.

Bickslow shook his head. "You can't...I mean, it's not possible to shred a human soul, our souls can be small, weak without those that make them whole and strong, like mine was without you two, but putting a piece of your soul into another person…." He shook his head again.

"Seiths, we weave our soul with our soulmates, and only can do it with our true soul mates, Dragon Slayers, they put a piece of their magic into their mates and it does something similar, binding the souls, it looks like a seed. Like when I looked at Vander before he and Rogue mated.." He nodded toward his younger brother who sat against the arm of one of the couches, Rogue laying against his chest, Vanders arms around him, one hand buried in the Dragon Slayers glossy black hair idly playing with it while the other was inside the mans shirt.

"When I looked at him I saw his soul, which is this fucking blinding ass near white silver, and it had what looked like a seed of deep green, Rogues soul, inside of it. Not the soul itself mind you, Dragon Slayers have this distinct look to their magic, to their bonds, I knew it was Dragon Slayer magic, the root of the bond between their souls. I think...Dragon Slayer mates are born with that inside their souls, and it doesn't start forming, growing, until they meet their Slayer, lays dormant, buried deep where even I can't see it." He explained.

"But actually pulling away a piece of a human soul...that, our souls are alive, ripping them apart damages them, we dont have souls made for that...or...well...normal people don't, plus, the soul is our immortal essence, carries all the roots of who we are, including our magic….Zens magic is so...strong...putting a piece of his soul into someone...They would have to be really strong to take it in, I imagine the shock to the system would be immense…" He shook his head again, turning his eyes back toward the open door.

"I'll arrange a Visa so you can travel between countries...I...I can't keep you from her and she's part of this family as much as you are, but Dracos key remains here so I can reach you through him." Arman was saying.

Zen smiled thinly. "Ok...I can accept that...I'll bind the others then. I have Laelaps and Venatici, Aquilla, Vulpecula too, I'll have them help me find her." He said, holding out his hand three silver keys and one diamond appeared.

Draco smiled, sharing a glance with Arman whose own eyes had widened a little. His son was the Celestial Dragon Slayer, could bind keys he collected like a Celestial mage with some differences brought by his slayer magic. Arman hadn't seen a Celestial mage contract a key, his own wife had never gotten new ones, content with what she had, and his grandfather had already had his contracted when Arman came along including Draco.

Zen flipped one key and closed his hand around it and there was a flash of silver magic before a dog nearly the size of a horse stood before him. Tall elegant, long legged with a long narrow head and rosebud ears the black beast turned soft brown eyes on Zen.

"Laelaps, spirit of Sirius, you know me from our time in the celestial realms, will you contract with me here in Earthland?" He asked.

The dogs tail wagged and it laid at his feet pressing its large head into his thigh, mouth falling open and tongue lolling out as it looked up at him adoringly. He smiled, rubbing it's head.

"Laelaps, and Venatici will both communicate telepathically with Zen, they don't speak…" Draco told Arman who nodded, smiling, watching his son summon a huge brindle colored dog next with the same results.

Dracos eyes remained narrowed, critically watching as Zen opened the gates for Vulpecula and Aquilla. Vulpecula was the fox spirit, and she was absolutely stunning. Slender curvy body, long red hair tipped in black then white and a long fluffy tail even in her human form. Laughing green eyes locked on Zen and she slid her hands up the young mages chest.

"Mmm, not gonna like helping you find another woman, I've always liked having you for myself.." She grinned. Zen simply rolled his eyes.

"Will you make a contract with me Vulpes?" He repeated and the Fox smirked.

"Do I get a kiss?"

"Vulpes…" Dracos growl made the Fox spirit wince and she turned and smiled at him.

"Draco...darling...looking tall, dark and sexy as always I see...Oh! And who is this?" She grinned walking past Zen to his father, she reached out and slid a hand over Armans shoulder eyes locked with his.

"My father Vulpes...contract or should I send you back and let your key collect some dust?" Zen said archly, not liking his spirit coming on to his father at all. He'd worked with Vulpes a great deal in the celestial realm, had always had a good relationship with her, she was a brilliant strategist and fighter. She'd always been flirty, but she was especially so here for some reason. She had never been so...aggressive.

Vulpes pouted, not taking her gaze off Arman who kept his own expression calm if faintly amused. "Dust would make my hair frizzy, very well, I shall contract with you Master Zen. For you I am available every day but Saturday. You, however…" she lowered her voice purring at Arman. "I am available any time."

Armans eyes widened a bit as she leaned toward him and Zen snapped his wrist, the spirit vanishing as he forced her gate closed. He ran his hand over his face then and looked at Draco who was busy giving Arman a sheepish look.

"Yeah...Vulpes...she's a great fighter Arman, has worked alongside Zen for the last 8 years in the celestial realm...she ah...well...I'll talk to her…" Draco said scratching the back of his head nervously.

Arman eyed Draco. "Interesting choices in spirits you've helped my son with Draco…" he said.

Draco turned to Zen. "Aquilla is a steady fighter...very reliable…" He said firmly and Zen gripped the silver key.

A slender man with golden brown hair and sharp dark eyes appeared wearing nothing but buckskin pants and boots. "Aquilla, you know me from the spirit realm, I have returned to Earthland and ask you to make a contract with me here." Zen said.

The man bowed. "I would be honored my Prince to call you my master. I am available to you always and ask only you do not call me more than three times in a single day." The spirit said and Zen bowed.

Once Aquilla departed he looked at his father. "I've others, a few Diamond keys, a couple of the Kingdom keys, but these I've contracted, short of Draco, are the best for helping me search." He said. Arman nodded.

"I'm not happy about this…" Arman said.

Zen nodded. "I wouldn't expect you to be Dad. I have to do this...she needs me...I can't be happy, can't even think straight feeling her suffering...calling for me…" he shook his head with a snarl at the sudden wave of it, almost a wail of need travelling through him.

"Part of what you feel is Dragon Lust Zen...in the celestial realm you don't feel that, so it's new to you, be careful...you could hurt her.." Draco began and Zen snarled, eyes flaring gold again, silver scales forming over the backs of his hands that Dracos eyes went to as quickly as Armans.

"I would never hurt her! I'm no beast, lust won't sway me." He growled and Draco narrowed his eyes.

"You've never FELT some of the things you're going to feel strongly now that you're on Earthland Zen, you must be aware of that, give yourself time.."

"NO! Enough! I've given you years! My whole life up to now has been giving things time! I can control myself, and I am giving nothing but finding my mate any more of my time!" He roared and before Draco or Arman could so much as move, Zen let out a pulse of his magic and the window beside him shattered outward, before he stepped right through it and dropped from sight.

Arman gasped, lunging forward, they were fifteen stories up. He reached the window, heart in his throat until he saw long black wings carrying his son away and let out the breath that had seized in his chest.

Draco stood close beside him watching the young mage rapidly disappear in the darkening sky of the early evening.

"Well...that went well…"

The Kings look had even the Dragon spirit ducking his head.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

A/N: And there we go folks, there's Chapter 1 of Beyond the Stars, where the adventure from Mind, Body, and Soul is continued. Please remember to leave a review, it helps keep us going!

~Sassykitten1701 and Desna


	2. Chapter 2

Ok ladies and gents, here's the second chapter of Beyond the Stars, sequel to Mind, Body, and Soul. If you haven't read that one yet, I highly suggest doing so. Desna and I already do have the first few chapters of this story done, and are currently doing a bit of editing on the next chapter, so updates will be somewhat frequent for a bit. Without further ado, please enjoy, and remember to review!

* * *

Lucy grit her teeth, barely managing to bite back a scream as she snaked her whip out and cracked it across the front legs of the hideous nightmare of a creature rushing at her. She narrowly dodged when it spat at her; it could shoot venom from its fangs and liked to mix that with shooting web at her, hoping to pin her down so it could move in.

Like it had with the villagers it had taken. She was going to have to get the village to send a coroner out, none of the people she'd found in this damn things lair were still alive. Wrapped in venom drenched webs, every fluid in their bodies sucked out of them.

Spiders, TWO massive Spiders, one the size of a carriage, the other the size of what might pull it. White and grey with eight beady black eyes and long nasty black fangs, little hooks tipped each leg too on both of them, and she was bleeding from where they had caught her, ripped her skin, thank the gods they had no venom on them.

The smaller one, the male she assumed, had longer legs than the female, was the same pasty white and grey and was faster, he'd landed most of the strikes now bleeding.

The mission hadn't said she'd be taking on a damn spider and it's fucking MATE, she fucking HATED spiders. Anything with more legs than a damn dog was far from her list of things she would chose to handle.

But here she was, she'd finally gotten it out of it's damn lair into the open but it hadn't given her much of an advantage, just no more of the things little baby spiders trying to poison her ankles.

It was the third of five missions she'd grabbed, planning to work for at least a month, avoid the guild all together and let her head get screwed back on right.

"Princess, perhaps we should retreat...you're bleeding in several spots now…" Loke said unhappily trying not to wince when Lucy glared at him.

"NO Loke, we take this nasty damn thing down now." She snapped "I'll be fine, just...damn it...Leo the lion, first of the Zodiac, lend me your power!" She called.

Her clothes changed, she shifted into the Leo stardress so she could join him in blasting the thing, her whip wasn't doing enough damage, but it did serve to keep the thing at bay.

She was tired, and bleeding, and fighting a personal nightmare in real life and didn't see all of what happened over the next few seconds. She heard Loke though.

"Oh dear Gods…" He breathed and she'd frowned.

"What?!" she demanded in a near panic and then the male spider was suddenly slammed into the ground, golden flames swirling around it, something...no...someone, was on top of it, plunging a sword into the space behind its eyes, long wings keeping them steady as the male let out a keening horrible sounding screech before he went down, long legs giving out, a couple cut off from the body by the glowing flame enclosed sword in the mans hand...it was a man...Dear Gods was it ever.

He was unbelievably gorgeous….

And she had never felt a pull as strongly as she did seeing him. Like he was a wildfire and she a little moth.

She knew she was young, at 20 years old, she knew that many would consider her musings naive. But with everything that had happened for her in the last five years, physically she may be 20, but mentally and emotionally she was much older. And she was a woman dammit, she had urges, she was allowed!

Many of the men in the guild were nothing to sneeze at, least of all the dragon slayers that called Fairy Tail home. And when you added in the Pradesh siblings, she was occasionally surprised that there wasn't a regular flood warning for all the sexual tension that built up around the women that tried to catch any of the mens eyes. Lords knew there were plenty of tents pitched under tables with Erza, Emzadi, Cana and Xally walking around too, she even liked to think maybe one or two went up because of her.

In all honesty, while she could fully admit and admire the men in the guild, she was content with being single and just being surrounded by those that she considered family. Until it started happening.

One by one, each of the seven dragon slayers of Fairy Tail found their mates. The part that she still found particularly funny was that it wasn't until the Pradesh siblings started visiting that the slayers started pairing off. The first few new couples had her ecstatic and so very happy for her friends. She thought it was amazing that, while still crazy, they had found their mate who would help keep them calm, or support them when needed.

The next couple of announced mates had her smiling just as brightly, and she refused to acknowledge the ribbon of envy that started slithering through her emotions, quick to tamp it down and lock it away. Melancholy, jealousy, they had no place in her heart, she wanted her Nakama happy.

Then Rogue announced that he had found his mate, once more with one of the Pradesh siblings. The searingly hot and sexy one that had sung on stage with Gajeel had gotten Lucy panting right along with most of the other single women, Vander, with his wine colored eyes and sultry voice. She had been quick to walk away, not wanting her budding jealousy and aggravation to be heard by the slayer who could hear souls or his mind reading mate. Seriously, were all of the good ones going to get snatched up by the slayers?

The last one though. The last one was the one to really put the final nail into the coffin of her high hopes and leave her lost in some turbulent emotions.

Once the last slayer had announced finding their mate, had, well, damn near claimed him in front of everyone, that had been it for Lucy. Impromptu weddings, coronations, they had just torn her down.

So she had taken Armans advice, tore a random few jobs off the board as soon as she had gotten home and left Magnolia, having Virgo pack her a bag even as she boarded the train. She had needed to get out of there. Wendy got Farron, the tall, dark blue eyed elegant and clearly, from what she had seen, incredible kisser who had looked a great deal like her dream man.

Taking jobs, working out her frustrations, and the fear that she didn't want to acknowledge was what she needed she was sure. For the life of her, she couldn't understand why seeing every slayer bothered her so much, even as she was so happy for each of them. She hadn't wanted any of them, not in the romantic sense, and yet seeing all of them together and happy had something deep inside aching sharply.

It had been months of a slowly growing need, this sadness she couldn't explain, loneliness in the midst of all the people she loved and cared for. She was almost ashamed of it.

It should, however, be mentioned that flying by the seat of her pants wasn't always one of her best ideas. Looking up at the job that she had taken, Lucy took a firmer stance, wishing belatedly that she had paid closer attention to the flyer she had grabbed. Now she was standing before a spider about the size of a carriage. Her limbs were trembling, her shoulders drooped, she was panting in exhaustion, and the steady drain of her magic as she kept Virgo and Loke out to help her had her worry increasing each passing second. She had been tracking these things for a couple of days now, and had honestly felt that taking down an unknown monster stealing villagers would be within her abilities. Once she had found it, she admitted that it was bigger than she had been expecting, but she still felt confident...until the fight continued for more than three hours, and the spiders showed absolutely no signs of slowing down. Fighting two, plus their damn spawn, it had taken a heavy toll on her.

Then he appeared, and she wasn't entirely sure what to do.

One moment she had been gasping for breath, her eyes narrowed as her mind raced at incredible speeds trying to find a way to beat these things. The next she let out a startled scream as she leaped backwards, the male spider collapsing to the ground at her feet. Staring in confusion at the fallen monster, she looked up past the still impressive height when she saw him.

He was standing confidently on the back of the hideous thing, arms folded and head quirked down, casting his face in shadow with his dark hair framing his head. The part that drew her attention the most though were the wings that extended out from his back and were shifting keeping him stable as the thing lurched through its death throws when he wrenched the flaming sword out of it.

Wings…he had wings, long black wings. It wasn't the first time she'd seen wings on a wizard, no, there were others so she had to assume it wasn't common but it wasn't unique, still, it was different. He reminded her of an angel, well, angels didn't have black wings, or shoulder length red/brown hair with streaks of gold in it from being out in the sun….did angels wear tight jeans and have really nice legs?

She was sure she'd never seen one in a black vest that hung open showing a delicious expanse of tanned skin and tattoos and a ripped chest and torso either and none of the pictures drawn on cathedrals showed angels filling out the front of a pair of jeans really well. She was sure she would have noticed and spent more time admiring the paintings.

What was she trying to do again? Oh yeah...not die.

The female spider had backed up a bit at having her mate killed and for the first time Lucy noticed two huge dogs, hounds, long legs, deep barreled chests, elegant necks and long slender heads with rosebud ears, one was black with four white feet, the other brindle and both wore glittering gold collars.

The dogs were driving the female spider back a bit, running around her snarling and snapping at her legs. Lucy wasn't certain how spider love worked, or if it was even a thing, but the female started vibrating her legs and even Lucy felt the ground shudder a bit.

Confused, she was frowning, glaring at the massive thing while trying to keep the mystery man in view too, uncertain of his intentions. Then it happened, Spiderlings started rushing out of the cave behind the female, rushing to her aid and swarming over the males corpse. The winged man took to the sky, long black wings slamming down and carrying him up as strings of web were spat at him by the large wolf sized baby spiders. None landed but Lucy had to move quickly to avoid being hit herself.

Eyes widening in horror she watched the babies start sinking their fangs into the dead male, sucking him dry, many of them enlarging.

"Magic, they're sucking the magic energy out of the male, it's making some of them grow…" Loke said in alarm, pulling Lucy to back away further. The dogs were moving swiftly, they were incredibly fast and agile and Lucy kept narrowing her eyes on them, certain they were familiar. She knew she had seen them somewhere before.

The winged man came down briefly, standing between the dogs long enough to run glowing gold hands over them, they rubbed against his wings then took off again as he shot back into the sky. They were keeping the spiderlings from rushing at her and her spirits.

"Princess...perhaps we should go…" Virgo said softly. Lucys glare silenced her, they had already been over the whole retreat and regroup thing, she wasn't having it.

The winged man landed nearby, a dozen feet or so from Lucy, striding toward her. Dear Gods...she was so drawn to him, her mind was so fixed on that want, that need it could barely register anything else. She couldn't help but think he was familiar, why? She knew it should be obvious, but Gods his body, his face, he was tall, over 6 feet easily, his mouth, his lips looked wonderfully kissable.

Lucy had to consciously fight to keep her tongue from hanging out before a sense of self-preservation hit her and she shifted her stance, hardening her eyes and gripping her whip in her hands, waiting for him to get just a...touch...closer...now!

'SNAP!'

The sound of her whip cracking the air echoed sharply as with a flick of her wrist she sent her now blue and gold whip towards him to try and bring him to his knees before he could reach her. Instead her jaw dropped as his hand flashed out and caught the magical whip, wrapping it around his forearm without hesitation and raised an eyebrow at her.

"You know...of all the ways I had imagined meeting you for the first time, finding you in the middle of a battle and having you attack me with your celestial whip certainly wasn't one of them. Not really my thing either, I mean, maybe a little bondage could be fun but whips? That's more of Virgo's idea of fun." His voice echoed through the air, rolling across her skin in a soft caress and she felt something inside of her lurch hard, causing her to lose her footing and stumble towards him with a gasp.

Gulping hard she ran her gaze over to Loke then Virgo, seeing them just as dumbstruck as her. Loke's jaw was hanging open, blinking repeatedly, even as Virgo stood motionless, her eyes wider and mouth slightly open showing her own surprise. Swallowing hard against the drool pooling in her mouth, she fixed her face into what she hoped passed as a believable scowl.

She was about to say something nasty when a hiss made her eyes snap back to the serious issue at hand, namely a massive spider and about 30 or so smaller versions of her. A few...not so much smaller now, nearly as big as the male. The dogs were still doing a good job, but there were just too many spiders.

"Fuck!" She snarled, jumping to the side to avoid a blast of venom laced webbing only to run right into another that encased her left leg beneath the knee, instantly burning when it touched her skin.

She shrieked at the pain, eyes wide as she saw a good dozen or more of the spiders rushing toward her as she clawed at the web anchoring her leg to the ground only to scream again when it burned her hands.

A flash of gold and the web burned away, she was wrenched into thickly muscled bare arms and pulled into a partially bare chest as long black wings slammed down and she was carried swiftly into the air, trying to cling to him and almost losing her whip as her burned hands protested. A jolt flew through her, powerful, hitting all the way to her toes and fingertips when her skin touched his, she felt him shudder at the same time, so knew it hit him too, whatever it was and she gasped, pushing at his chest.

"Easy, I need to get you out of harms way…" He said, his voice lacking the humor of a minute ago and she shoved harder at him.

"Damnit! NO! I can do this! I am fucking done being rescued, put me the fuck down and let me do my job!" She snarled. Stunning very familiar eyes widened on her almost making her brain stutter and forget what she was mad about but not quite.

She was having enough trouble with herself, her confidence, her trust in herself, her ability to believe she had any damn value as a person, all of it, that was what she was trying to work out and every time she started to struggle, somebody stepped in and didn't let her finish proving to herself she could handle things.

Not this time, no, she had to do this! Gorgeous man distracting her or not, she was finishing this job!

He smiled at her though. "Can I help?" He asked, dipping a wing and banking, taking them back toward the spiders Virgo and Loke were currently fighting.

"I don't care if you do or not, just don't fucking rescue me and try to keep me out of the fight!" She snapped.

His arms tightened a little around her and he chuckled. "Fair enough. Ok, how do you want me to return you to the fight?" He asked.

Lucys mind raced, shoving aside the immense distraction he was, how good he smelled, how good he fucking felt and focusing on the fight.

"Gods I'm going to hate this...set me on top of that damn female." She said shuddering in revulsion at the idea of even her shoes touching it. She recalled Virgo and Loke and summoned Cancer, the spirit appearing in the air beside them "Cancer, start cutting off legs, and share your power!" She called as she was carried toward the female that had reared back on her back legs and was waving hooked front legs at them, spitting venom into the air that the man holding her deftly dodged keeping her neatly from getting hit even as he held her with one arm around her, the other now extended sending blinding light into the creature's "face".

It screeched, backing up several feet, all legs coming to the ground. "It's blinded, I'll help Cancer handle the babies." He told her setting her onto the things back and Lucy slung her whip out, using it to hook onto the thing so she could hold on as she started hacking away at it with a sword.

She hadn't anticipated it being able to reach over it's back with it's legs...the way they were angled and how the winged man had taken down the male she hadn't' considered it a possibility, it wasn't like she studied spiders, she absolutely hated the things.

A hook tipped leg caught her, hit her horribly hard, if not for her grip on her whip and the sword she'd just managed to plunge into a spot between the thick hard "shell" of the things back it would have swept her to the ground, as it was the hook ripped through her skin, tore a gash from her hip across her back to her shoulder and she screamed as it happened.

Black spots were appearing in her vision, and her magic was all but gone, she had to end the fight and soon or she would be killed. She staggered and almost lost her balance but for an arm coming around her waist, a flaming sword shot down and plunged into the creature beside Lucys sword.

She had no choice but to lean into him, too injured and weakened by those injuries to do anything else. She wrenched her sword free and went to plunge it in again as the spider tried again with a leg, starting to stagger under the assault, to sweep them both off of it.

The man holding her wrenched his sword free and she watched it flare as it sliced through the leg before it could hit them. That was when she realized she was doing this wrong, instead of focusing on killing blows, she needed to cripple it before she could kill it.

"The legs, focus on the legs!" She yelled, and started hacking at where a leg met the body. It was still hard, as sharp as her stardress blades were, and she could use both now, retracting her whip and trusting the man to hold her steady so she could use both hands.

It worked, once deprived of three legs the spider went down and when she did, the spiderlings started swarming toward her, those that Cancer hadn't removed the legs from. As each went down it's siblings swarmed it and sucked it dead.

It had reduced the numbers down to three almost as big as the female but they were all three injured and when they rushed their mother she fought them. The long black wings carried her from the thing again, several yards away safely out of range of the fighting monsters.

They stood, him still supporting a good part of her weight and she didn't try to get away from him. It felt right, she felt...safe with him, and that confused her but there were more important things to worry about, like the waring massive spiders, the mother had killed two of the offending offspring but the third was winning, beating it's heavily disadvantaged and mortally injured mother down.

Lucys vision was swimming, and Cancer vanished, her stardress melting away because she lacked the magic to maintain it. She was vaguely aware she was all but topless now, damage to her back, blows she'd taken throughout the fight had left her normal clothes in tatters again. She was so used to it now though she scarcely noticed.

The offspring finally finished off it's mother, the big female crumpling to the ground and the man holding Lucy set her down so she could sit on the ground before he rushed the injured monstrosity before it could get it's fangs into its mother.

"Stay here, you're too injured to finish this." He said firmly and moved away before he caught her angry glare.

He'd watched how it worked, if this beast drank it's mother down it would heal and grow stronger, likely bigger and stronger than the mother had been and killing the mother had been a workout.

It whirled,sensing him coming, and he shot upward into the air, using the same blinding blast he'd used before and then, leaving Lucy more than a little stunned, he drew in a deep breath and she could swear, in fact she was certain, he used a Dragon Slayer roar on it.

Whatever it was, it took the thing down and scorched the other dead spiders near it into charcoal.

The offspring fell over, its legs curling up as it died. The man landed and started walking back to Lucy, eyes sweeping over the field to make sure there were no threats left. The two dogs nearly as big as horses ran to him, eagerly butting his hands with their noses begging to be pet and Lucys eyes widened more when she saw him wave his hand, saw nothing short of Celestial light spark and the dogs vanished, she felt the shift too, the dogs were celestial spirits!

"Who the hell are you?!" Lucy demanded.

"Uh, Princess, that might not-" Loke said, appearing by her side clearly under his own power.

Once more she felt that strong pull, and she could even admit to herself that on a scale of one to ten on the attractive meter, he shattered the measurements, but she wouldn't let herself be fooled by looks or anything. She needed answers, and she'd be damned if she didn't get them.

"Now-" Lucy paused to swallow again and interrupt Loke. "-who the hell are you?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at the amused smirk that crossed his face.

"Princess...I would advise to exercise caution and some decorum when speaking to him." Virgo stated lowly, coming up to Lucys side also having pushed through to help her injured mistress, she was pressing a cloth to Lucys back to slow the bleeding coming from the ugly wound, keeping her eyes on the ground as she knelt next to her master. She didn't need to see Lucys face to know that she was getting a shocked look.

"That's not necessary Virgo, thank you." The man said, her maid spirit bowing her head toward him.

"Virgo? What's going on?" Lucy asked quietly, keeping an eye on the male. It wasn't until the sound of shifting drew her attention that made her realize that there was far more to this man then met the eye.

From his tight jeans tucked into knee high boots, black vest that hung open, black wings, a face that appeared to be chiseled by the hands of the gods, and the amethyst eyes speckled with gold that drew her in powerfully, Lucy knew as her spirits paused that there was indeed a great deal more to him then looks alone. Lokes final action, however, is what drew the most confusion of the new mans arrival. She struggled to think under those eyes, those familiar, beautiful eyes...

Beside her Loke had taken to one knee, with his head bowed in obvious reverence. Swinging her head to her other side, she found Virgo kneeling as well, her hands resting peacefully on her lap.

"Oh come on you two, this is ridiculous you haven't done this in years! You're just fucking with me now." The man groaned, bringing up a hand to bury his face in with exasperation. He knew the chuckles he received were all the answers he was going to get, even as he focused his gaze on Lucy once more.

Taking a deep breath, Loke took it on himself to stand and grip his masters hand in a reassuring gentle squeeze. Clearing his throat and adopting a formal tone, Loke turned to Lucy with a devilish grin. As he proceeded to introduce the newcomer to her, Lucy's eyes widened, and the blood drained from her face in shock.

"Lucy Heartfellia, celestial mage, and light of Fairy Tail, I'd like to present, taken in by the Spirit King himself, the one and only Archangel mage in more than 800 years, Zen Pradesh." Loke smiled.

Zen rolled his eyes. "Make me sound like a prize on a gameshow, thanks Loke." He chuckled.

As Lucy blinked rapidly, recalling things in her books on the Archangel mages that had fought in the holy wars over a thousand years ago. They had been called living seraphim, the stars of dawn and evening, protectors not just of Earthland but also of the Celestial realms and all the heavens. There hadn't been an Archangel mage in centuries, the magic was thought completely lost. Taken in by...the Spirit King?! Loke and Virgo kneeling before him?!

It registered then, Pradesh...Zen Pradesh, the second son of Arman, Bickslows lost older brother who hadn't been unable to live with them, whose absence the King mourned, the fountain...everything. An Archangel, magic believed dead.

But here stood one, the only one apparently, and he happened to be just…dear Gods and stars…hot.

She had to be losing too much blood.

"I'll get those Virgo…" He offered and suddenly he was right there in front of her and Virgo was helping him set Lucy back so she sat on the ground a little more stable.

Ok, add into the whole eye candy thing that he also smelled amazing and had thick dark lashes rimming those deep purple and gold eyes. Being close to him suddenly without a battle to occupy her was unsettling to say the least.

He smiled at her staring and she was blinking rapidly trying to keep her eyes focused, she was way too overwhelmed by all of this information, and by him, those eyes...her dreams...black wings...She couldn't tell if it was the blood loss, the venom or the young handsome man touching her, gently running warm fingertips around the edges of the burns on her leg, the gash across her back taking it all in. Lucy was light headed, struggling to string thoughts outside of "It's him, it's the man from all my dreams" together.

"Ok, so my healing is…funny, when I heal it…converts pain, I really can't control it, it just does it, the theory is so people can relax and the healing goes along easier but for some reason when I heal women….well…I'm just healing you ok? I swear nothing more." He vowed and Lucy grit her teeth as her back pulsed angrily in pain.

"I get it, fine, help me out here." She tried not to snap, but knew that came out snappy.

Zen nodded, eyes leaving hers and going to her back so he could remove the cloth Virgo had pressed to it. His hands replaced the cloth and brought the wound closed. Lucy hissed in pain and he gave her an apologetic look.

"So there's something else…see, I'm not just an Archangel mage." He drew a breath, nodding to Virgo where he wanted her to press the cloth as he adjusted where his hands were. "I'm also a Dragon Slayer, the first celestial Dragon Slayer...anyway, I know you know about Dragon Slayers and….fuck this is harder than I thought…." He shook his head frowning then looking into her wide eyes. "Lucy, you're my mate." He said as his hands lit with gold and Lucy felt the magic start and the pain initially spiked as flesh started to move to come back together but then that pain instantly converted to pure, bone melting, panty drenching pleasure.

Not just she felt good and relief from pain, more like Zens magic was pushing every button and ringing every bell she had pushing her into moaning like they were fucking each other senseless because damn if she couldn't get a happy ending out of what he was doing if he kept it up.

It was all too much for her, the pleasure layered over the shock of being faced with the living real version of a man she had been dreaming about since she was an awkward teenager, meeting those familiar purple and gold eyes, told she was this mans mate? Yup, check please, Lucy fainted.

Zen watched her body tense, bit his lip when she let out a moan that instantly made his well fitted jeans uncomfortably tight then she went lax and Virgo vanished, seeing she was no longer needed. Leo did too initially but reappeared a moment later under his own power again, clothes bundled in his arms that he set on the ground next to Lucy.

"They always faint when I heal them…" Zen sighed and Loke snickered. It was common knowledge in the celestial realms that while Zen was training the healing side of his magic, when he used it on women the pain to relaxation conversion his magic naturally did, related to the mercy side of things it carried, did too much and made that relaxation into pure physical pleasure.

The Spirit King seemed to lean toward the theory that it was because Zen was Boscan in heritage and while he was spending almost all of his time with Celestials learning to use his magic properly, Arman still insisted he have education benefits all Boscans enjoyed, Loke had sincerely, deeply enjoyed going with Zen for his Sudehpah sessions starting when he was 11 and going until he was 13.

Loke had strongly advocated allowing Zen another year of those, but even Arman wouldn't agree. The Spirit King was suspicious all of that training Zen had in the physical arts of pleasure had somehow affected his magic.

Draco of course disagreed, saying it was just something about Zen that would have probably happened regardless.

Either way, when Zen healed women….they tended to get overwhelmed by him, the worse the injury the more the pain is converted so the more pleasure the woman felt. Lucys injuries had been pretty bad…

"Well, she knows, and you're out of training as of what a few weeks ago? Didn't take you long to find her." Loke smiled.

"Long enough, Gods she'd been pulling at me so hard for so long now, being here...with her..." Zen breathed, brushing her hair back from her forehead with light fingertips. "Gods she's beautiful…" He smiled, eyes studying the lovely woman who was the other half of his soul. Loke was nodding in hearty agreement but Zen didn't see him, gently running the back of a finger over Lucys cheek.

The lion smirked. "Well…wake her up, she's all healed, lay one on her, final test." Loke prodded and Zen gave him a reproachful look for being cheesy.

Still he bent over her, the beautiful young woman with the golden hair and eyes like honeyed chocolate. She had occupied his dreams most nights for the last few years, though the dreams hadn't turned heated until the last few months, growing in intensity, making it hard for him to focus on his studies, his training, even sleep wasn't easy because when he closed his eyes she was the first thing to come to his mind.

Draco and the spirit king had been adamant though he couldn't go to Earthland for her until he had mastered the last of a few spells and been able to take on and successfully defeat at least 10 armed magic users on his own while protecting this ridiculous life sized doll he was always made to defend in his drills that drained his magic intermittently and sometimes in large amounts all at once. He'd come to hate the thing. Especially when keeping it from being hit by a spell or sword was what was keeping him from going to his mate.

That his final few tries had involved him protecting one of Cassiopias stars had made it easier to swallow, though they were all immense flirts.

He was with her now though, and she was so much more beautiful than she'd even been in his dreams, months he had watched her through the mirrors in the celestial realm, watched her crying, becoming sad, felt her soul reaching for him and he'd ached to go to her, begged Draco and the Spirit King but had been rebuked, he wasn't even allowed to know her name until he'd completed his training. Now though he was at her side, and he wouldn't leave it, he shifted over her, holding himself off of her, straddling her hips and placing a hand to either side of her head he bent down his lips sliding over her plump pink mouth to kiss her.

The rush of relief, the slam of his dragon within him into a frenzy of newer hotter need. A steady chant within him of possessive vows, proclamations and demands he should immediately take her, strip them both right on the field of battle and fuck her until she screamed his name and his teeth could set into her skin. He pushed it all back, he had control, his father and Draco were wrong, he could manage this, yes it was all new and incredibly powerful in its intensity, but he could handle it. Dragon Lust, his instincts as a slayer would not overwhelm him, he'd admit now though he should have worn looser jeans...

Lucy had spiraled out through a haze of pleasure and she was coming back to much the same. Images of laying in a mahogany haired purple eyed angels arms, wrapped in black wings, naked, legs wrapped around his hips, lips locked as she trailed her hands over hard muscles and smooth tanned skin, being made love to by a black winged angel, leisurely, sweet wonderful sex while he whispered sweet things to her, cherished her..loved her. This dream had been her only comfort for a while now and she revelled in it, kissing back, biting, pressing into the warm firm body and he felt so impossibly good, much better than he usually did.

Yes please, oh she'd been such a good girl, supported all of her guildmates while they had found their mates and soulmates and all of it, watched good sweet man after good sweet man go off the available list while she stood alone.

Watched her own best friend land one of the hottest beasts of a man she'd ever seen and a kiss that almost burned down the infirmary between them.

This was her reward right?

She wrapped her arms around him, fisting her hands in silky thick hair at the back of his head and kissing him hungrily, tongue pressing into his mouth, greedy for the deepest kiss possible.

He growled and she felt it, the sound resonating through her and thrilling her, he'd never growled at her before, Gods she loved it, her imagination was getting so much better at this. She moved her hands from that thick long hair, over broad shoulders and down thickly muscled arms then over his chest, delighting in the feel of smooth bare warm skin under her hands, tracing a wonderfully defined and toned body. Noting with satisfaction those muscles tightened, rippled under her touch and he moaned into her mouth when she dug her fingers into one pectoral, wanting to feel the thick muscle there clench in her hand.

Gods she was doing good on this dream, so much detail….taste, sound, scent, he smelled good, the taste, the feel, there was a cinnamon spice to him, his lips were so warm...

She was dreaming though, she damn well knew it too, that was how it always worked in these stories, curse her writers mind for making her live through it.

She'd start making out with a hot guy, get their clothes off, he'd have this dream of a mouthwatering body, right down to a cock she'd know would leave her legs no longer functioning once she got to ride it and just before she'd start that glorious ride, poof, no more black winged angel.

Only the dream was weird, his clothes started appearing, since when did these dreams work in fucking reverse? It was her damn dream, she wanted to see the goodies damn it!

"No…no…take it all back off…" She breathed against soft warm lips that were slanting over hers she could feel him above her, a knee between her thighs, Gods when she reached up her hands really did meet firm delectable muscle under smooth warm skin.

Wide chest, so well defined, she could trace over just perfectly chiseled muscle, right from the defined pecs to washboard abs, down trim hips and snug denim held…

"Oh yes…" she groaned as her palms met a hard rounded ass and she dug her fingers in as hard as Cana would, hard enough he hissed in a breath, lips leaving hers for a moment before descending again and slanting over hers once more. The rich scent...perfect...like stardust and cinnamon...

He tasted good, smelled good, felt good….dream.

Except dreams didn't chuckle when she groaned out her approval of their fine assets, and tried hooking a leg around their hip to drag them down so she could better get her hands on everything this one did though, and those lips moving over hers, the tongue teasing hers, withdrew and her eyes fluttered open, presented with rich purple and gold eyes and a handsome face grinning down at her.

"You sure aren't shy." He chuckled huskily and Lucy squeaked, snapping her hands away from him, blushing 50 shades of fuck my life and shimmying out from under him while he sat back on his folded legs smiling at her.

"I…" Lucy sat, too off balance to stand effectively and glared at the snickering Loke.

"Sorry Princess, but you're his mate after all, might as well enjoy I guess." He grinned.

Lucy blinked, trying to rein in the out of control freight train that was her thoughts, it was hard to do watching the tall mage get to his feet and come to her, holding a hand down to her.

"I'm really…your mate? Like a Dragon Slayer thing?" She asked.

He smirked. "Exactly that really, The Spirit King and my Uncle Draco seemed to think the magic I was born with wasn't enough, even though I couldn't live at home growing up because my magic was so dangerous, so…I was taught Dragon Slayer magic, given a dragon soul by Draco to help me harness my strength." He said lightly.

Lucy was pulled up to her feet when she accepted his hand and teetered, falling against him, hands splayed on his hard muscled chest.

"So you're…" she trailed off frowning.

"He's the one and only Celestial Dragon Slayer Princess, ward of The Spirit King himself, taught by him and Draco. The first dragon slayer of his kind, since Draco has never taught any before him. It worked well too, the Dragon Soul provided the stability and Zens magic came into balance." Loke said.

Zen nodded to her as she looked at him in amazement. "Archangels work similar to Seith mages in a special way too, we have soulmates that are the life of our souls." He told her.

"And so I'm your…mate or soulmate?" She asked.

Zen shrugged and smiled. "Both." he leaned into her, nuzzling into her neck and her eyes fluttered closed but her mind was in turmoil, months of unhappiness were suddenly unknotting, she felt so amazingly good when she was close to him, Gods his mouth, his teeth nipped at her neck and she gasped.

She took a step back, ignoring the powerful pull that wanted her to not just step back so she was touching him, but to just wrap herself around the tall man.

She narrowed her eyes. "Where…have you been?" She asked softly. She'd watched over the last months as just about everyone she knew had found happiness, partners to love and cherish them, it figured hers had what, gotten lost?

Her dreams, she stared at him, he was the angel in her dreams, the lover she had been with for months now, the gold flecked purple eyes, the black wings and soft sun streaked dark hair, it was him...where had he been? Why had she been left pining over dreams for so long?

He grimaced.

"Training, until a few weeks ago, I sensed you, felt you...I knew you were...lonely and I'm so sorry about that...I came as fast as I was able, it wasn't easy getting away from my father and family once I was released from training...I had to make some promises and I'll keep all of them...but you..." He paused moving toward her, reaching out and pulling her to him so he could lean down again, nuzzle into her hair, his hands smoothing down her sides and sliding to her back to pull her firmly against him as he kissed her neck. "I had to find you, my mate..." he purred.

Lucy moaned at the wonderful sensations he was stirring, dear Gods her dream man was real, and his body felt so good, his hands, holy sweet Mavis his lips and tongue played at her ear and she smiled faintly then froze and blinked, Celestial realm…and Loke knew him, so did Virgo, something suddenly clicked in her head and she pulled back enough to turn incriminating eyes on Loke.

"You…." She hissed and Lokes eyes widened, smile falling.

"You knew about him didn't you?!" She demanded, suddenly furious and hurt and confused. If Loke had known that there was a mate for her, that she was meant for someone, why had he let her believe she was alone? Why during one of the many times she had sobbed over the last year into the silence of her apartment, so many times into his damn suit coat about not being wanted, feeling lonely and hopeless, why hadn't he told her? Gods she'd come apart at that fountain right in front of the Lion spirit, the fountain dedicated to this man and his lost mother!

"Of course, I've known Leo since before he was Karens spirit. Since I was 8." Zen said quietly when Loke didn't answer. Unhappiy his mate had pulled back from his embrace but he loosened his hold, let her glare at Loke, confused as to why.

"I wasn't allowed to tell you Princess, we…we didn't know if Zen would survive, his magic was so off balance for a while it wasn't until he was…um…15 that we knew he'd be ok…and he really didn't know who his mate was then, only that he had one because he felt the pull to Earthland…we didn't know you were…meant to be his…" Loke trailed off looking at the ground and frowning.

"15! That was years ago Loke! What the hell?!" Lucy cried, tears stinging her eyes. "When did you know I was his mate?! Me, your Princess, who you claim to care about?! When did you know I was the one and that he was mine?!" She demanded.

"Until about a month ago the images in the mirrors were clear enough I could see you and figure out who you were, what's wrong Lucy? Why are you…." Zen answered when Loke just stared. Zen was confused, unsure about just what was happening between Lucy and the leader of the Zodiac but he could tell it wasn't good, she was furious, hurt, tears wet on her lashes, the salt scent of them heavy in the air and his instincts were making him bristle, his dragon stir inside of him angrily because his mate was upset, hurt, and he damn sure wasn't going to let that continue if he could help it. The amount of fury and rage that was stirring in him, the murderous need to destroy whatever was causing it was staggering.

"I'm angry because as recent as yesterday! Yesterday Loke, I was crying on you, telling you how alone I felt and all you did was proposition me! Offer to ease my loneliness with sex!" Lucy snarled and Zen stilled, eyes narrowing on the Lion spirit who was swallowing hard.

"Princess…it's not serious, you know I'm only teasing, I only do it to help you through things, I never…Prince Zen…" Zen was moving now, walking toward Loke, eyes fully gold, Lucy watched as a sword formed in his hand, golden light and fire creating it.

"You…flirted…teased…MY mate, you could have told her I was on my way to her…coming as fast as I could…once I left the Celestial Realm and started working to get to her you SHOULD have told her but you chose not to and to …proposition MY MATE?!" He growled. "All that pain! All the loneliness she went through you could have helped!" And Loke waved his arms, backing away.

"I…Lucy and I have always been like this my Prince…it wasn't serious at all, I was just trying to cheer her up! I…I meant nothing!" He said hurriedly.

"Oh you'll mean nothing alright, when I use your skin as a throw rug you mangy lion!" Zen lunged and Loke retreated, vanishing in a shower of golden light. Zen snarled, turning to look back at Lucy. "Go back to town and get your reward for your job…this shouldn't take long, I just need to relieve the fucking cat of one of his lives…" He said and Lucy started to object, to tell him not to bother, it wasn't that important to her, that she did not want him to go right after she'd met him, but he vanished just like Loke had and she stared gaping in stunned amazement…Zen had just gone, on his own magic, with no help or guidance…to the celestial realm…

What kind of mage was he?! She looked around and the tears that had been stinging finally falling because she realized, once again, she was alone, not even Virgo was there, just a bunch of dead spiders and her…left behind…again.

* * *

Oh I'm sorry *rubs back of head sheepishly* Did I forget to mention we'd finally see Zen and Lucy meet in this chapter? hehe...please don't kill us, we have plans, it won't be like this for long!


	3. Chapter 3

*peeks around corner, carefully starts pushing a mountain of boxes of tissues into the open, then hides again* please remember to review!

* * *

Lucy had collected her reward, and waited for far too long, when the final train heading back to Magnolia was called, she went back to the inn and stayed there for a week waiting for Zen to return to her, fighting back her bitter angry tears the entire time.

She took her meals at the streetside cafe outside the inn, watched the stars at night and begged them to send him back to her. Mostly she kicked herself repeatedly for even mentioning Lokes lack of information regarding her being the mate of a Celestial Dragon Slayer and Archangel.

It was devastating really, not just finding her dream lover was real, and beyond real, he was meant to be hers, born to belong to her just like she was born to be his if she understood at least Dragon Slayers right. She had Crux deliver books on the subject, had him looking for information on the Archangels too.

The reading and research helped a little, kept her busy until she finally gave up and went home, but the hurt was terrible. It wasn't just that she had found her dream lover and he'd gone, it was what Loke had done, or not done. Why hadn't he told her?

She would have drowned him in questions, demanded to know when her mate would finally come for her, so yes, she would have definitely pestered the hell out of him over it, but was that so bad she deserved to just suffer in lonely depression?

She felt betrayed by her own spirit and friend, and she ached, painfully for Zen. She'd felt his body against her, had her hands on his skin, tasted the wonderful cinnamon spice of his mouth and been surrounded by the stardust and fire scent of him. She rubbed her fingers together and could feel the softness of his long hair, her body burned, empty and miserable with need for him. He was real, not just a dream or fantasy, real, and supposed to be hers.

She was the mate of a tall, handsome, blood boiling panty soaking piece of walking sex with eyes like a sunset and she was still fucking…alone. He'd told her he could feel her loneliness, that he came to her as fast as he could, yet he'd left her pretty damn fast.

Great job Gods. Give her an angel and send him chasing after her pervy fucking spirit because Loke was an ass that needed kicking. The thing was she didn't want Zen kicking any ass, she wanted his body pressed against hers, kissing her, holding her like he had for those precious minutes she'd been in his arms. She was a Dragon Slayers mate, she knew what that meant, it meant toe curling, bone melting, hours upon hours leading into days of glorious sex while he claimed her, set a mark into her neck and fostered the crucial building of that bond by staying in bed with her.

It meant affection, being cherished, held, damn it it meant sitting in the guild in his damn lap like Levy did every fucking day and having those tanned thickly muscled arms around her.

Cobra and Kaleb had been holed up for several days when they had mated. Cristoff and Natsu had taken three days Xally and Sting three, Laxus and Emzadi almost two weeks, Vander and Rogue three days then they emerged but only long enough to get a house then they disappeared again for more than a damn week.

Wendy and Farron, who knew? She'd left before that was all done but those two, Gods Farron couldn't keep his hands off Wendy and the young slayer was endlessly pulling her tall handsome mate down for long kisses.

Fuck! She knew it was too good to be true! Levy had gotten TWO mates! TWO! Fucking Wendy had been riding her man through a whole night then the next two damn days after finishing the weddings, they hadn't seen the little blue haired Dragon emerge from that mans bedroom and she'd left her mate, all six plus healthy young feet of him exhausted but still smiling and looking at her like she was the only woman on Earthland anymore.

Damnit, she wanted to wear that look! She wanted to get laid, have that Godlike beast with the black wings fuck her until she couldn't walk then spend days cuddling and fucking and talking and just…Gods…why was nothing ever good and easy for her?! Except strawberry daiquiris , they were always soo sooo good. She drained the one in her hand and waved at Mira for another.

Where was he?! Why wasn't he coming back?! Did he decide he'd just stay up there, had a look at her been unimpressed and decided not to come back for her?!

What if that was it…

She choked back tears again, sucking hard on the strawberry daiquiri she had through the pink straw Mira had given her. Listening to the boisterous guild around her.

Cana sat heavily next to her, glaring toward the table where the Raijinshu sat, where Levy was currently occupying the laps of not one, but two handsome men. A ridiculously handsome blonde man was straddling the bench, Cobra leaned back against his chest while he was playing chess with Freed and idly running his free hand through the Poison slayers maroon locks.

Natsu was laying on a bench, head in the lap of the black haired big handsome thing he had landed as a mate…she narrowed her eyes as they passed over the two shadow mages, Rogue leaning on Vander much like Cobra was doing to Kaleb, the difference there being Rogue had Vanders full attention and was smiling languidly while his mate nuzzled his neck and whispered things that made the Shadow Dragon Slayer alternate between chuckling and blushing.

"Way too many fuckable men getting snatched up into relationships…this is so depressing." Cana sighed, waving at Mira who brought over a tall tankard of beer for her.

"You want depressing? Try getting told you're a very fuckable mans mate only to have him vanish, chasing after your pervert of a spirit." Lucy grumbled miserably.

Cana blinked, exchanging looks with Mira, before Lucy immediately had their undivided attention.

"You have a mate?! Lucy! Who is he?! I thought all the slayers were…taken?" Mira blinked.

Lucy shook her head. "Nope, there was one left, he's been training in the celestial realm since he was a baby. Celestial! A Celestial Dragon Slayer Cana! As in perfect for me! Another Bickslow brother too so you can imagine how completely handsome, no...fucking gorgeous, he is. You know he's got wings! Real ones! Feathers and fucking all that shit! Purple and gold eyes, this sun streaked hair…his body…Gods the man filled a pair of jeans in front and behind, body like fucking Adonis. Sexy voice, did I mention he could kiss? Gods the man curled my toes and his ass! Cana it was hard as rock and round and perfect! Fuck and a Celestial Dragon Slayer, the first one in fuck I don't know, Loke kept saying how unique he fucking was, then Loke just didn't bother to tell me I had a fucking mate you know? Pervy asshole just all teasing and pervy, says he just does it to cheer me up! Yeah, well, my sexy dreamboat Dragon Slayer hears Lokes bullshit and goes all jealous Dragon Ass and poof, they're both gone to the Celestial realm so my sexy…handsome…Gods…damn it I don't want to fucking cry anymore!" She wailed.

Cana wrapped her arms around her and Mira bit her lip glaring toward the table occupied by the apparent siblings of the man in question.

Cobra and Kaleb both winced. "Fuck…the fuck is…" Cobra turned his head, he was completely relaxed, thoroughly enjoying the feel of Kalebs body behind him and his fingers gliding through his hair, drifting nicely through plans for dinner that included Kaleb on his knees, when Miras demon broadcasted angry deathglares right through him.

Both he and Kaleb were trying to sort out the riot all around then while Bickslow ducked his head. "Shit Lucys at the bar crying and Miras giving us all the look of death…the fuck did we do?!"

Kaleb exchanged a look with Cobra and the pair stood, heading to the bar. Mira was easy, Kaleb gave her a small push reminding her she had customers and a simple smile at Cana had her detaching from Lucy and moving toward Kaleb. Cobra rolled his eye, he hated using his mate to bait Cana away but this was serious and Kaleb could get Cana to forget she'd been consoling her friend. Hell, Kaleb could get Cana to forget her damn name...he could do it to Cobra too sometimes…

Tearing his mind off his sexy mate who looked very good in those jeans….he shook his head and focused on the crying blonde.

"Tink...tell me what's going on." He prodded, glancing back for Kaleb, not wanting to do this alone because Kaleb was the gentle one good at getting people to talk willingly, Cobra was the one that beat them bloody until they talked.

"I...I don't know.." Lucy hiccuped and Cobra was narrowly saved then by Kalebs arrival as the tears started flowing again.

"Ohhh, Lucy...it's alright sh'dah." Kaleb was immediately wrapped in a sobbing drunken Lucy, the big blonde wrapping his arms around the small one exchanging a glance with Cobra.

Her drunken state made it take a bit but within the next 30 minutes the pair were both frowning at each other, Lucy cuddled into Kalebs chest, he'd sat on her stool and she was in his lap wrapped around him needing comfort.

Rising without a word said between them Kaleb shifted Lucy in his arms and carried her out of the guild, ducking his head as rain fell, he smiled faintly when Cobras beloved white coat wa immediately slung over the blonde woman and they hurried through the rain drenched streets to their house.

They had moved out of the small studio Cobra had when they met, now living in a comfortable townhouse only a few blocks from the guild and only one block down from Cobras old home.

They had bought the place instead of getting a rental, Kaleb reasoning it made more financial sense in the long run. It had 3 large bedrooms and baths upstairs, the first floor an open concept with a large gourmet kitchen, living and dining rooms and a den at the back.

Cobra had loved the large bay window with what equated to a full sized bed worth of seat space that overlooked the street like he'd had in his old apartment only better and Kaleb had liked having a small yard where he could raise some herbs, vegetables, and poisonous plants for his cooking experiments trying to keep up with his mates fascinating tastes.

Setting Lucy on their lounge in the den Cobra started the fire in the fireplace and went to get them something to eat while Lucy curled up into Kaleb.

"You feel a little like him…" She whimpered and Kaleb drew a careful breath. "He's my brother, so that makes sense. Lucy, he'll be back...I know he will, Zen came to Archipelago the same day you left...while he was there getting to his mate was his top priority...he knew you were sad, lonely...said he had to hurry, got our father to accept not getting a long visit with him, insisting he had to leave as soon as he could, jumped right out a window on the 15th story of the palace. I know he desperately wants to be with you." Kaleb said.

"Then why did he leave?! Not just that..why hasn't he come back?!" She demanded.

"I don't know, but I know he wouldn't stay away, he wants you, needs you, he's a Dragon Slayer and you're his mate Lucy, being with you is as important as breathing." He said firmly.

"People don't stay with me...even if they want to...they leave…" she whispered miserably. Kaleb frowned, looking up as Cobra came in with a tea kettle and every manner of snack food they had in the pantry.

They spent the next several hours calming Lucy, eating all the chocolate they had in the house, all the ice cream, and drinking three kettles of tea before Lucy finally passed out on the lounge.

"I'll put her in one of the guest rooms...I'd rather she wasn't alone." Kaleb said firmly, scooping her up and carrying her upstairs, settling her in the room across the hall from his and Cobras room.

Cobra looked at him after he'd tucked the blonde in. "She made us swear not to tell anyone...why the fuck did I agree to that?!" He growled. Kaleb smiled, stepping into his mates arms and kissing him.

"Because you're a good man and Lucy Heartfilia has the most mesmerizing big brown eyes I've ever seen and her tears had a terrible effect on both of us." Kaleb murmured softly threading his fingers through Cobras hair.

"We should call the market, order a shit ton more chocolate and shit if she's going to stay with us for a bit." He said trailing kisses down Kalebs throat and pressing into him more, teeth teasing his skin.

"Mmm, after you get naked and I make you cum." His mate growled and Cobras eye flashed, meeting Kalebs half lidded lavender gaze.

"You're insatiable, Tinks ordeal made you horny?" He asked, growling softly when Kaleb undid his belt and slid a hand down his pants.

"No...you kissing me made me horny, now move it, I want a quick one before you call the market and I start dinner…" He grinned, and Cobra staggered with him from the room to their bedroom though they didn't reach the bed before Kaleb had him slammed against a wall his pants around his ankles as he gripped their large dresser and they had their quick rough fuck that Cobra quickly decided he'd needed every bit as bad as Kaleb had. What Lucy was going through, the feelings she was broadcasting, made them both desperate to affirm their own powerful bond.

Lucy slept peacefully tucked up in the queen sized bed in their guest room, a shower of gold heralded Virgos arrival, the maid frowning over her mistress, fussing with the blankets and closing the door to the muffled sounds of the couple across the hall.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

It had been three months.

Three months of heartache, of mental anguish, of the strain of the bond between her and Zen growing ever thinner. This was so much worse than what she'd felt before she met him.

She wasn't an idiot, she knew time passed differently in the celestial realm...but an entire day for them...three months for her...didn't he realize? Couldn't he feel it too?

Letting out a tired sigh, Lucy rested her head on folded arms on top of the bar, staring blankly at the full glass of her favorite strawberry shake that was so cold, drops of condensation was rolling down the sides. But she had no desire for it.

Food had lost a great deal of appeal for her. As did her writing. She wasn't even able to really read any more. Every time she turned around, something she did made her think of him. What it would've been like to cuddle into his arms, watch endless movies, create meals together, sleep in together. What was his favorite food? Did he love stargazing as much as she did?

She wanted that, to lay on the grass on a clear night with him and stargaze, touch, tease, kiss...make love under the stars and make each other see their own stars.

She wanted him, needed him, ached more after meeting him than ever. Kaleb and Cobra were her only comfort, the only ones who knew really what was happening. They rarely left her alone and she had now lost count of how many times she had fallen asleep in either Kaleb or Cobras arms and woken up in the bed in their guest room, or even tucked in between them in their own bed.

What would it be like to wake with him instead? To feel his naked body pressed against hers, slick with sweat, their bodies joined but for real, not just in hazy dreams. To feel his fangs sink into her skin, his magic rush into her body, to know he would always, forever be hers...

But she would never know now, because he had left her. Maybe there was something about her that was just defective and she would be forever alone. She should've known better than to believe that she was a dragon slayers mate, especially such a unique one.

So steady her decline had been that she didn't notice how her eyes became dull, or the pallor to her skin grayed, or even how her once gleaming hair became limp and lifeless. She came to the guild every day, afraid to hope that maybe, just maybe he would come back.

The day she'd come back she'd tried to drown her sorrows in alcohol and it hadn't helped at all.

Erik and Cobra had been there that day, and quick to join her at the bar when they both kept catching snippets of what had happened to her after Miras glares had caught their attention. It had been a huge blessing to the miserable blonde because they were there for her, understanding without her explaining. They wanted to tell Makarov, wanted to get help.

But they had refrained from doing that. Because of Lucy. She had begged, pleaded with them that day they had first taken her to their home, to keep what she knew they knew to themselves. She didn't want to be a burden to anyone else, or bring anyone down with her. As it was, she tried to apologize that they were bearing witness to her pain. All they gave were quick shakes of their heads, brushing her apologies aside. As far as they were concerned, she had nothing to be sorry for.

They were there, keeping an eye on her, every day, intercepted her some days when she stumbled from the guild toward her empty apartment and taking her home with them instead. They knew when her misery had gotten too much for her to bear and were quick to act.

Twice she had wrapped around Kaleb, who was similar in size to Zen and fisted her hands in his hair in her sleep and started kissing him. Both times he'd gently detached her from him, Cobra pulling her into his own arms, both men assuring her as she cried in shame it was fine, they knew...and she was so grateful at least somebody understood what she was going through.

Their care and understanding though didn't slow her decline. She still dropped weight, had all but stopped eating. Cobra and Kaleb did all they could for her. but the steady weakening, crumbling of her link with Zen was tearing her apart with it.

But now, it had been three months, and still no sign of him. Her dragon slayer.

She was getting weaker every day. And everyone was noticing. Brawls didn't happen nearly as often, people walked around her carefully, hesitant to say anything, and the other mated slayers watched her with worried gazes.

And when Erik and Kaleb were approached about the fury that filled their eyes any time they looked at her, they could only wince and shake their heads. They had promised.

The little blue haired bookworm, however, had not.

Three months had passed, as had the last of her patience, and with a decided huff of breath, Levy closed and set her book down before sliding from her own mates laps, and heading for the stairs to the upper floors, ultimately to Markarovs office. It didn't take more than a moment before Gajeel and Bixlow were following her, and pushing a quick thought to Kaleb and Erik, Bix was able to have them following.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

'Knockknockknock'

Looking up from the pile of papers that Markarov could only cringe over, he took delight in the distraction at his office door, and with a call to enter, he sat back in his chair, watching in curiosity as Levy, Gajeel, Bixlow, Erik and Kaleb filed into his office.

"What can I do for you children?" Markarov asked, lacing his fingers over his torso, eyes ever watchful as he eyed each of them in turn. He was aware of a great many things that happened in his guild, and the tension radiating off of these five members had his eyes narrowing.

"Master...I don't know what to do...I'm worried about Lucy, and I've been doing endless research, but something is wrong. She's sick, and even Wendy and Cristoff can't heal her." Levy whimpered, her fingers twisting in front of her.

Furrowing his brows, Markarov cast a look at Erik and Kaleb, noting the eyes that were cast to the floor, the clenched hands at their sides. Narrowing his eyes further at them, he turned back to Bix, Gajeel, and Levy.

"How so?"

"She won't eat, she hardly drinks anything, unless it's alcoholic, her skin has become grayish, her eyes don't light up anymore, she doesn't read or write, and she doesn't even touch the strawberry shakes that Mira makes for her any more." Gajeel growled, crossing his arms, his own worry over the woman he had claimed as kin pumping off him in waves.

"When did this start?"

"About three months ago." Bix spoke up softly, reaching out to play with the ends of Levy's hair while resting a hand on Gajeels shoulder.

"Three months...wasn't that when she took that spider job?" Markarov asked, leaning forward to open a drawer and shift through the papers stacked there. He remembered that one, it had stood out to him, much as many others had. After the file that had been brought back by Vander when he'd gone after Rogue, he was keeping a closer eye on some jobs, taking note of ones that seemed a bit off. Pulling out the job notice, he took note of the information, frowning slightly.

"Yes it was. We weren't here when she got back, but we were back shortly after, and we noticed the change in her right away." Levy explained, biting her lip. Lifting his eyes, he could see the shine in them, knew that she was scared, but trying to be strong for her friend from the tears she was managing to keep at bay.

Casting another look at Erik and Kaleb who were now eyeing each other, Markarov looked back to the others. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Gajeel, Levy, you may both go."

"But Master-" Levy whimpered, taking a step closer to his desk.

"I said you are dismissed!" Markarov stated firmly, not letting his gaze cave under the tears that started to spill from Levy's eyes before she spun and ran out of the room with Gajeel on her heels, a narrow eyed glare sent back over his shoulder.

"Gramps, was that really-" Bix began, fighting the urge to go after his mates, feeling Levy's pain clearly through their bond.

"Yes it was. Don't worry Bix, I may have a way to make this up to her later." Markarov sighed, turning his eyes on the other mated couple in the room. "Alright you two, explain yourselves, you know what happened, I can see that you do."

"We may know what happened but we can't say anything." Kaleb stated softly, looking at his brother and master with regret filled eyes even as Erik crossed his arms next to him.

"What the fuck do you mean you can't say anything?!" Bix growled, stepping forward to grip his brothers shirt in an unyielding fist. "What do you know about what's happening to Cosplayer?" Bix demanded.

"Exactly that, we can't say anything! We made a promise to her that we wouldn't Bix, so back the fuck off!" Erik snapped, throwing out a hand to rip away Bix's grip on Kalebs clothes.

"Enough, all of you!" Markarov shouted, stepping onto his desk, letting his aura pulse out, and forcing the other mages to their knees with groans.

Gritting his teeth, Erik fought to remain on his feet. He had already known that getting on Markarovs bad side would be a bad idea, hell, he knew his own mate was unbelievably powerful, but Markarov? It was obvious from the power pulsing off of him was such that to call him a wizard saint was like calling him a still learning mage. No wonder no other dark guilds had ever fully managed to bring Fairy Tail down, not with this power behind it. If this was the power that Markarov held, he knew he would never think less of the man ever again.

"We have a member, our nakama, who is suffering, and you would keep the answer to those problems from us?" Markarov demanded, his eyes full of fury.

"We don't want to master!" Kaleb panted, his eyes wide in shock. He had known great power, harnessed some of his own, but what he was feeling now made his own power feel like it was still a training puppy that wasn't even house broken yet. To know that this was the kind of power Markarov controlled, had him bowing his head humbly, almost afraid to meet the other mans gaze.

"After everything we've done to her, after everything that she has gone through, the last thing we want to do is lose the hard earned trust that we've gained!" Erik snarled, landing hard on his knees finally, his own memories of what he had done to her flashing vividly through his head, and even now, with Kaleb's cool soothing presence reaching out to help calm him, it was proving difficult.

But his words proved useful, as the pressure disappeared, and Erik collapsed to his hands, panting, closing his eye tight against the burning in it, even as he felt his mates arms wrap around him. Hearing a tired sigh, the three mages looked up to see Markarov now sitting on the edge of his desk, pinching the bridge of his nose in consideration.

"Let's start with this then. Erik, Kaleb, because of the current situation, I am ordering you, as master, to tell me what you know. Any anger that Lucy has I will handle, as I am the one forcing your hand. And Bix, I know you've been peeking at her soul the last few months. It's to be expected the moment Levy became increasingly worried about her. Fair enough?" Markarov offered, looking at them carefully. Seeing their hesitant nods, he gave a nod in return.

"Good. Bix let's start with you. What have you noticed?"

"Um...well...over the last few months, I've noticed her soul is dimming, and honestly it's scaring the hell of me. Especially since she has a gold soul, which is so rare, it's hard to explain. The fact that it's fading, and being drowned out by a pulsing red edge, isn't good. Red is anger, and it's about swallowing her soul whole. But...there's something more..." Bix pause, uncertain as to how to explain. Getting another nod from the master, and seeing the watchful gaze from Kaleb and Erik, he continued.

"Every soul has a particular signature, certain colors, certain feels to them, etc. For example, Kaleb's soul is white, reflecting his time in the immaculate light, and within it, he has a seed of purple, which is a part of Eriks soul, and his dragon soul. Within Eriks soul is a seed of Kalebs. The said could be said about any of the other slayer couples, even Gajeel, Levy and I." Bix explained, beginning to pace, and rub his chin in thought.

"Ok, we're following." Markarov stated, crossing his arms.

"Well, with practice, and enough exposure to it, those who can actually see souls, can see if it's an animals soul, a human soul, how long they've been around, etc. Well, I can read the signature so to speak to identify what a soul is was. Growing up with two slayer siblings myself, I can identify a slayer soul, and...well...the pure silver seed at the middle of Lucy's gold soul belongs to a dragon slayer. I'm not sure who it is, but it's a dragon soul, I know that much." Bix explained.

Blinking, throwing a glance at the two other mages who refused to meet his gaze, he realized he knew exactly who the slayer was.

"Alright Bix, thank you, you're are excused." Markarov muttered, waiting until Bix was actually away from the door before turning back to the others with a hard look, ignoring the gulps of trepidation they took.

"Your turn boys, what do you know?" He asked quietly, gaining a small bit of glee from the hard gulps he saw both of them take.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

A short time later, after excusing a slightly shaken Kaleb and Erik, Markarov sat back at his desk, brows furrowed as he considered what he was about to do. They didn't contact each other often, their own lives taken up a great deal of their time, but they did consider each other great friends. So to know that he was about to piss one of his more powerful friends off was not something he actively wanted to do.

Letting out one more tired sigh, Markarov picked up his comlink, and pushed a bit of his magic into it, waiting as it pulsed. When it was finally picked up on the other end, he was quick to give a charming smile to the woman on the other end who simply lifted an eyebrow at him. Behind her, he could see lavish chambers, and heard the clink of dishes, and knew that the manager of his old friends castle was eating.

"Cornelia my dear, you're looking lovely." Markarov tried to be charming, knowing from personal experience as to just how...venomous... the woman could be when needed.

"What do you want Maki? This had better be important." The woman spoke sternly, cutting to the chase. Of course, when running a castle, it was a good idea to do so.

Chuckling a bit nervously, he rubbed a hand across the back of his neck before clearing his throat. "Is he around my dear? I need to speak with him."

"He's busy right now, and you know he doesn't like to be interrupted." She answered with a sniff and glare, her phrasing being the only thing to hint at just what his friend was doing.

"Unfortunately this time he needs to be."

"Oh no, I'm not interrupting him, not for all of the gold in the kingdom." She glared.

"You will when you hear why." He had to fight not to roll his eyes when she snorted at him.

"Not likely." She smirked.

"He made it here, and found her." Markarov stated with a firm tone. When he saw her face freeze as she stared at him, he nodded at the question he saw in her eyes. Without another word she stood from where she had been sitting, enjoying her meal, to make her way through the endless halls, the comlink showing Markarov her progress before stopping before a large set of heavily hewn wooden doors. Thick, and scribed with protective runes galore, she had to reach up and use the heavy knocker on the door in order for it to be heard in the room beyond.

"I'm busy!" A shouted snarl could just barely be heard on the other side, and from his end of the call, he could see her gulp before stiffening her shoulders. Once more she knocked on the door and waited. A few moments passed, and as the doors swung open with a snarled "what" escaping from the person standing there, she shoved the comlink into the mans decidedly naked chest, turned and hurried away without saying a single word.

Blinking after the only woman in the entire castle who could get away with interrupting him when he was busy, the man looked down at the comlink in his hands, and seeing the face of an old friend proceeded to turn and slam his forehead into the heavy wood door repeatedly, groaning in frustration. He knew, he just knew, the moment he saw that troublesome yet charming smile, he wasn't going to be doing anything else but helping the man for the rest of the night.

Letting out a tired sigh, the man stepped back into the room, comfortable in his naked state, and with barely a glance at the woman in his bed, his mind already on whatever Markarov wanted to talk about, he pointed out the door. When he began to hear protests, he turned and glared lightly at the woman.

"We are done for the night, I am sorry but something to do with my family has come up. Please see yourself out." He bit out firmly before continuing to the office that was attached to his chambers. Closing the door behind him, and activating the silencing runes, he flopped into his desk chair, dropping the comlink onto the desk in front of him.

"Alright Maki, what did you need?"

"It's good to see you too Arman, you know normally I wouldn't interrupt you."

"I'm aware, which is the only reason you're not being yelled at right now." Arman agreed, propping an elbow on the desk, and his chin on a fist.

"I appreciate that. Getting to the point, were you aware that Zen had made it to Fiore a number of months ago?"

"Yes, I watched him contract the spirits to help him go look for her. He came here first Maki, I was hoping he'd have returned by now."

"Were you also aware that he met Lucy, our resident celestial mage, and informed her that she is his mate without completing the bond?"

"Wait, what?! He found her? It's Lucy?!"

"Yes Arman, he did. But there's a problem."

"How can that be a problem?! That's wonderful news!" Arman exclaimed, grinning happily. He loved Lucy Heartfilia, the girl was extraordinary, the idea of his son being mated, married to her thrilled him to the bone.

"Yes, but at the same time no."

"Uh...why?"

"Because he told her of this a number of months ago, about three to be exact, and then disappeared, chasing after Loke. Apparently Loke had not deemed it worthwhile to mention to Lucy that Zen was on his way, and flirted with her. Needless to say, Zen didn't take it well, and when Loke escaped into the celestial realm, Zen was quick to follow. They haven't been back since, and the strain on the bond that had started to form is literally killing Lucy." Markarov explained solemnly.

It took a moment for what the old guild master said to sink in, and when it did, to say that Arman was pissed, would be an understatement.

"So let me get this straight...my son, managed to make it to Fiore, found his mate, Lucy Heartfilia no less, a girl I really, truly do deeply like, told her she was his mate thus confirming the bond, and then left before completing it?"

"Yep."

"And he left, chasing Loke back to the celestial realm because Loke was the flirtatious spirit that he tends to be, and had flirted with Lucy?"

"I'm sure there was a bit more to it than that, but yes, that is what I just said."

Taking a deep breath, Arman abruptly stood from his desk and stormed over to a side table by the small fireplace, yanking open a small, padded drawer. Looking down at the single, gleaming object inside, glaring, he picked it up with a silent snarl, reaching out his magic, forming it similar to that of a large hand, and wrapping it around the spirit the key was attached to, yanked the spirit towards him...hard.

The sound of cursing filled the air before Draco did, and he landed with a thud on his ass with a wince before looking up and feeling his face drain of all blood. There, standing before him, fury pumping off of him in waves, was his long time friend, Arman, King of Archipelago, and a little known fact to the rest of Earthland, actually King to all of Earthland by a very ancient bloodline.

It didn't matter that he had not a single stitch of clothing on, all that mattered to Draco in that moment was that the last time he had seen his friend this mad was the day he had had to hand Zen over to Draco for training so very long ago. Being a generational key, he was tied to this family for always after having originally belonging to Armans great great great grandmother, then again to his grandfather, Draco knew the power that Arman came from.

So he knew that he was in trouble for something, didn't matter what, either way, he was fucked.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

In the celestial realm, an archangel celestial dragon slayer, and the spirit of Leo paused in their pursuit to sneeze, hard, as a wave of trepidation washed over them before Zen chased after Loke anew, still snarling, and Loke still yelping as he barely managed to dodge some of the less friendly swipes aimed at him.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Gulping hard, Draco rose to his feet, but kept his head bowed. He may have been facing his friend, but he also knew he was at that moment facing his earthland king. But dammit he would not let his worry cause him to shiver in trepidation before Arman!

"Look at me Draco."

Shit. Shit. Fuck. Shit. He was so screwed. He knew that tone. He was going to be walking away limping, or with a massive headache, he just knew it. But still he raised his eyes, meeting Armans glare straight on.

"Were you aware that Zen made it to Fiore?"

One quick nod. He wasn't going to actually say anything until he knew what the hell he was in trouble for.

"Were you aware that Zen found his mate?"

Tilting his head in slight confusion, he nodded again.

"Then would you mind telling me why the FUCK you haven't already sent him back?!" Arman roared, his hands clenching, and the walls around the room shaking under the power of his voice alone.

Cringing and ducking his head, Draco fought hard to not cover his ears from that power, in spite of the ringing his ears were now doing. But then the words sunk in.

"Send him back? What the hell are you talking about?"

"I thought I gave you a specific, SHORT list of instructions on how Zen was to be raised Draco, and instead he pulls this?! Why didn't you kick his ass back to Fiore as soon as he was back in the celestial realm?!"

"Hold-hold on! The last time I saw him, he was on his way to Fiore, I was standing right next to you Arman!. To find his mate, yes, because he's felt her pull getting stronger and stronger, more desperate for him, you heard the same things I did. As far as I know, he's still there!" Draco yelped, taking a step back for every one that Arman took towards him.

"Apparently he's not. Apparently, he found Lucy, started the process by telling her she's his mate, then up and left, chasing Loke back to the celestial realm because Loke decided flirting with her was a good idea, and he hasn't been back since! By being gone for so long, he's killing her with the bond!"

Pausing, Draco narrowed his eyes in thought, before standing up straight.

"When did this happen?" Draco demanded.

"He left three months ago." Arman stated carefully, finally seeing how Draco was reacting. When Draco snarled in response, he only lifted a brow.

"Goddammit! I'll handle this!" Draco snarled, and with continued curses he disappeared in an explosion of light.

Taking another deep breath, Arman turned back to the comlink still activated with Markarov seen clearly on the other end.

"You should be seeing results soon, if not within the next couple of days."

"Thank you Arman. We can't lose Lucy, she's brought too much light to our guild."

"I understand, and she's still going to do great things. Let me know please how it goes Maki, I want Lucy to be ok. I don't want my son harming that sweet girl any more than he already has."

"Of course. Oh and Arman?"

"What?"

"Put some clothes on."

"Oh fuck off Maki!" Arman snarled, cutting the connection to the comlink before storming back to his room.

The only thing that saved the com lacrima from destruction was the fact the elegant woman he'd been entertaining before the call came was just belting a robe and preparing to leave. Letting out a breath Arman cleared his throat. The woman turned, and eyes that had been full of disappointment, lit up immediately.

"Are you…done with business sire?" She asked hopefully. He smiled.

"For now…so…where were we?"

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Zen snapped his wings down, folding them right after they propelled him forward and finally skidding in front of Loke right in front of where Capricorn and Virgo were seated together by Virgos cozy house. Capricorn looked up only mildly surprised as the Dragon Slayer decked Leo and sent him flying. The Lion spirit scrambled to his feet, jumped over Capricorn and Virgo as Zen was standing back up, brought to his knee by the follow through of his own powerful swing. When he looked questioningly at Capricorn the spirit smiled faintly and hooked a thumb in the direction Loke had just gone, watching the Celestial Dragon Slayer race after him for a moment before returning to painting Virgos toenails and affectionately rubbing her feet.

A few seconds later a tall spirit with long midnight hair appeared right where Zen had been standing and cursed, glaring at Capricorn.

"Where did they go?!" He demanded. Capricorn blinked, hooking the same thumb as before in the same direction as before. Draco took off at a run.

Virgo twirled her fingers through Capricorns goatee. "Should we offer assistance?" She asked.

"To who? No, we stay out of this, concentrate on feeding magic through our bond to the Princess, if things get worse…we will step in…" He said, kissing her toe.

Loke was growling under his breath, trying to keep the sound from carrying back to the pissed off Dragon Slayer behind him. He should have told her, it had even crossed his damn mind to do so….he just couldn't help himself, his nature was just what it was, he was a damned Lion after all and Lucy was like the ultimate lioness.

"Please, your majesty! I swear I would never have done a thing, Lucy and I have been like this since before I became her spirit, she saved my very existence! I would never do anything to disrespect that or violate the laws of this realm!" Loke was calling over his shoulder as he ran.

He could turn and fight, he'd sparred with Zen since he was a child, stood a good chance against him too…maybe…if he weren't using that particular sword…and had Lucys help and magic supporting him…

He should have told her, it was just so easy to fall into the comfortable normalcy of teasing her to try and cheer her up, it usually worked too, she had laughed, he distinctly remembered her laughing.

"You should have told her I was coming! You FLIRT with her! Fuck Leo, I know that mirror, as her spirit, means you can watch her wherever she is, whatever she's doing at any time…how many times have you seen her showering? Naked?" Zen demanded furiously.

Loke darted between His house and Capricorns. "Not many!" He called.

"So you've seen her then! Damn you fucking Lion!" Zen snarled and Loke whimpered, probably shouldn't have admitted that, definitely wouldn't be telling Zen he'd seen her have sex with her last boyfriend, watched her touch herself in said shower…bathtub…while laying in her bed…his princess was a very passionate woman…

Zens wings came to bear again and Loke was tackled to the ground, the sword at least vanished, Zen so angry he preferred his fists. The two were wrestling on the ground cursing and throwing punches when both men were snatched by their belts and yanked apart by strong hands.

"What the FUCK are you two thinking?!" Roared a new infuriated voice. Loke groaned as his eyes managed to focus around his broken blue sunglasses that dangled precariously on his face. Wonderful…Draco, he fucking hated Draco.

"Fucking Lion has been propositioning my mate and probably jerking off watching her take baths!" Zen snarled back, making a grab for Loke but Draco held them effectively apart.

Loke still shrank back from the slayers fury, completely unwilling to admit how right he was.

"ZEN! You left Lucy, you realize that?! You told her she was your mate, touched her, kissed her, started the whole process and then left her, how long have you been here?!" Draco snarled. Zen stilled, eyes widening as his anger calmed and feelings other than fury got past his snarling snapping inner dragon.

He clutched his chest and Draco released him, letting him fall to his knees. "After you argued with your father and I about how desperately you needed to get to her, how you could handle your draconic drives you did this, GO! Get back to her! Fix this! You need to mate, restore and complete the bond before she fucking dies!" Draco roared and Zen staggered to his feet, waves of despair, loneliness, misery and pain crashing over him through the shredded, weak, barely there bond he still had with his mate…his beautiful mate… she was abandoned, alone, dying of despair…

In a flash of gold and purple light Zen was gone and Draco flung Leo to the ground.

"You fucking idiot! He's mortal, you know time moves differently for him here than it does in the area we created for him! Your Princess, didn't you feel her fading?!" He snarled.

Loke was on his knees, staring at the ground, now clutching his chest like Zen had been moments before, gasping as it all reached him.

"I…we were…" He stammered.

"You were being an ass, you should have TOLD her Leo, you could have told her as soon as we knew! But you…you filthy Lion, always looking for more pussy to add to your pride aren't you?! She is his mate! His soulmate! She didn't need to worry, to wonder, to feel like she was going to remain alone! There is a hole in her where a piece of his soul will reside, they NEED each other to be complete! Yet you didn't tell her, and on top of that you pull all the typical Lion crap you always pull with anything that has a set of tits! Look what has happened! Three months have passed for her, while you were running around up here fighting with her mate she was dying and you didn't even notice! YOU should have, you have no excuse! Zen is mortal, and the feelings coming through the bond are dulled by the distance, he needed to focus to feel them but YOU, you should have known! You need to work on your connection, you've harmed that womans trust in you, her belief in your real commitment and integrity and all for what? So you could make lewd comments at her!" Draco raged.

Nearby members of the Zodiac had come to their leader, feeling their princess fading, feeling her pain, seeking his guidance, they had been unable to so much as catch his attention before and he groaned, hanging his head. Once again he had made a painful mistake, this one almost costing his Princess everything.

"If she dies…" Draco snarled "He will die too, within seconds, and do you have any idea what that will do if we lose them? Think about it Leo the Lion, the next time you follow your dick instead of your brain, remember this."

The Dragon snarled at the deflated spirit before him, he wasn't done with Zen either, he just couldn't keep the man from his mate a second longer than he had to or Zen would have been facing his wrath right alongside the Lion.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

* * *

Sooo yea...uh...please don't kill us! there'll be another chapter posted this weekend, so you won't be left wanting for long! *ducks thrown empty boxes and used tissues*


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Ok folks, I'm sorry for the extended delay, with the holidays and life just happening, and getting kicked in the head with a cold that knocked me down in out for about a week, I'm finally back, and some of you may have already read the update from Desna, but here's chapter 4 for me, so we're all caught up, working on the next chapter now, with hopefully an update soon

* * *

Lucy groaned, head on the cool surface of the bar and Mira frowned, touching her friend's forehead and looking at Cristoff. The Lunar Slayer stood, he and Natsu coming to Lucy.

"Luce…Luce…hey come on weirdo…drink some of that would ya? It's melting everywhere." Natsu prompted, running a hand over her forehead, pushing the dull blonde hair back, forcing the worry from his face to grin at her. "Erza got those Strawberries from the Hakobe area, you know, the super sweet ones, that shits right out of her stash…" He watched his mates hands light, saw Cristoffs brow furrow and lip curl in frustration.

Lucy forced a weak smile to her lips. "Not right now Natsu…have Mira put it in the freezer for me, maybe later huh?" She offered.

She hurt, she hurt everywhere. She couldn't figure it out, she'd accepted it, he wasn't coming back, he didn't want her. She wasn't even upset about it anymore, she should have known. She was nothing, nobody, just a Celestial mage, another blonde with a set of tits among the masses. She wasn't exotic or unique, had no real talents. She could sort of play the piano, her mother had given her lessons, and she danced pretty well, even the King of Archipelago thought so.

Still nothing special, she had so little to offer, she had next to nothing in the bank, had a tiny apartment, even with Cristoff adding oompf to Team Natsu and keeping Natsu in line better than she or Erza had ever been able to, she still didn't exactly shine in their company.

She'd been so happy, so excited, all she'd been able to think about for the first few weeks was when he came back, all that would happen. She would be a Dragon Slayers mate, spend days, maybe weeks wrapped in his arms as they mated and built the foundations of their bond.

After a year of nothing but her own attention her body would know passion again in the arms of her own personal angel and Dragon Slayer. She'd dreamed about being wrapped in those long black wings, kissing that mouth, feeling those hands on her skin and at first it had been glorious, she almost enjoyed the anticipation, knowing when he came back she'd probably tackle him to the ground and start tearing off his clothes.

She'd even teased Mira and Cana about her finally getting laid and not just by anyone but by a tall sexy Dragon Slayer, described him to the two dreamy eyed whimpering jealous women in detail right down to how good his firm rounded ass had felt in her hands.

But the jokes hadn't lasted, the anticipation had turned into doubt, then sadness, pain…loneliness returning in a flood.

Why didn't he come back…why wasn't she good enough?

She knew she'd lost weight, but food had no flavor, she was sure the treat Natsu was pushing toward Mira to put back in the freezer was wonderful but it would have been like dust on her tongue, hard to choke down and flavorless.

Her usually smooth cheeks had hollowed some, she knew there were dark circles under her eyes, but she couldn't bring herself to care.

Her dreams had come to her, one of her biggest ones, to be swept into the arms of someone who would love her, be loyal, committed, devoted to her, who wouldn't leave her, to never be alone again, to be loved like she saw all her friends around her were.

She wasn't good enough, even a man who shouldn't be able to leave her had left her. She'd struggled hard to get out of bed that morning, had slapped away Kaleb and Cobras concerned hands as they tried to help her stagger to the guild.

She'd walked in like always, a tiny shred of hope he would be there, he would sweep her into those arms of his, kiss her lips and neck like he had that day she had finally met him. The hope shattered, again, she didn't want to feel it anymore, she wanted to stop hurting, stop crying whenever she was strong enough to manage it.

She pushed from the stool and wavered, Natsu catching her. "Easy Luce! Hey, where you going?" He asked.

"Home…I'm tired…I'm just gonna go home." She sighed, trying to shrug off his hands.

They exchanged looks. Lucy hadn't gone on any missions, too weak and depressed, Kaleb and Cristoff had stepped in though, paying her rent so she wouldn't lose her apartment but she'd spent so much time at Kaleb and Cobras the place was dusty, cold and devoid of food or drinks.

"Luce….come on…you need to eat…" Natsu pleaded.

"NO! I don't want anything right now! Just…leave me alone…" She whimpered the last word, her whole destiny seemed wrapped in it.

None of them noticed the guild doors at the head of the hall open, but Kaleb did, snapping his head up wide eyed as for the first time in months there he was, his older brother came in, eyes scanning the hall then locking on the bar, pain filling his features and quickening his steps.

"That's him." Cobra growled but his mate grabbed his arm.

"No she needs him, he has to go to her…we'll get to talk to him later…" Kaleb said, giving Vander who had also started to stand a stern look.

Bickslows eyes were wide watching Zen walk past their table, he didn't spare them all a glance, eyes only on the blonde at the bar.

It was Cristoff who got the only word in, stepping between Zen and Lucy and ignoring his older brothers menacing growl.

"You fix this…mate…now…she's too fucking weak now to wait longer." He growled back and saw Zen close his eyes a moment in pain, before his gaze returned to Lucy who was still leaning on Natsu, facing the floor.

Zen reached for her and Natsu growled but let him take her, tip her chin up so her dull eyes met his. Anguish and remorse about took him to his knees seeing her, he'd done this, in a fit of jealous over protective rage, he'd done this to his mate.

"Z…Zen?" Lucy blinked, trying to clear her spotty vision, Gods what was she feeling….warmth, soothing comfort, deep remorse coupled with a strong powerful need. It wasn't the ache, the sickening dark despair, this was the primal, basic, lustful need again.

Her weakened body, as bad as it was, warmed with it. She must have died…or was dying, her fading mind and spirit bringing her the image of what she wanted most. Warm arms slid around her and she was pulled into a tall hard body, the wonderful scent of cinnamon, fire and stardust surrounded her.

Warm familiar lips were kissing her face, her neck, teasing her ear.

"Lucy…I'm so sorry…I…where does she live…?" He looked at Cristoff who was still glaring daggers into him but the Lunar Slayer drew a breath .

"Pick her up, follow me." He snapped, heading for the side door from the guild, sending Natsu a quelling look when his mate bristled at him letting Zen take Lucy.

Zen swept Lucy up and pulled her in tight against him, she groaned but pushed in close, burying her face in his neck, hand curling in his shirt.

"It's you….where have you been?" She whimpered.

"Too far away for far too long…hold on I'm going to make this right…" He breathed, following Cristoff. Once outside the Lunar slayer clamped a hand bruisingly on his brothers shoulder and Zen closed his eyes against the sudden brilliant light of Cristoffs Lunar shift.

An instant later they were standing outside a modest building by a canal in the city. Cristoff pulled Lucys key from her pocket and led Zen up the stairs, opening the door to Lucys apartment and standing aside so he could carry her in.

"I'll bring food, drinks, medicine to help her, don't wait, you've fucked that bond all to hell you need to start repairing it so she can regain her strength." He snapped.

Zen looked at him wide eyed. "She's so weak…how do I…" He trailed off Cristoff shook his head.

"Figure it the fuck out Zen, this doesn't happen, there's no precedence for this, you're so fucking unique even in your damn screw ups it seems. You make this right, you'll die within seconds after her if you waste time." Cristoff said roughly, then his face softened at his brothers anguished look. "Be gentle, give me a few minutes I'll bring some things to help you with this, get her to the bed, hold her, kiss her, every bit of contact will help, skin against skin. I'll be back as soon as I can…" Turning and closing and locking the door, leaving Zen with Lucy.

Drawing a breath he took her to the bed, almost staggering when he felt her dry lips brushing his neck, kissing him.

"Why?" She breathed.

"Because I was an idiot...I'm so sorry Lucy, I, I was raised in a special place up there where time moved like it does here, it didn't occur to me when I went after Loke we were in the regular realm…" He smoothed her hair, kissed her softly as she settled on the bed and he sat beside her.

He was like the sun to her, warmth, life, air to breathe after she had been suffocating for months, the more she touched him, skin against skin, the better it felt. Like taking deep breaths.

Her hands were shaky though, she was so weak, she slid one into his hair, pulled him lightly and he came right to her kissing her more, lips nibbling gently at hers while he held her. Once she had his mouth her hands slid down to his chest, shoving the familiar black vest back from his arms so it fell to the floor when he removed his arms from her to let it.

He trembled slightly under her hands as they slid over his skin, overwhelmed by his need for her, by the pain of what he'd done to her, she was the most precious gift he would ever get and he'd done just what he'd sneered at his father and Draco he'd never do, succumbed to Dragon drives and in doing, nearly killed them both.

"You left me...I thought you didn't want me...that you changed your mind…" Tears stung her eyes, she was almost amazed by them, she'd cried so much the last three months she'd thought she had none left, that she'd gone so numb she couldn't cry anymore.

Zen wouldn't let them get down her cheeks, kissing them away, nuzzling into her with a pained groan.

"Never again...I do want you, more than anything else in this world Lucy...I'm so sorry I put you through this...forgive me…" He whispered shakily. Taking in the weight she'd lost as his hands slid over her. Her once shining hair dull, her sparking fiery eyes almost lifeless but for the fire building now.

Her hands slid over his cheeks wiping away tears he didn't even realize had fallen before traveling to his body smoothing over his skin, his chest, his sides, she knew instinctively though it wasn't enough. "Will you still make me yours? Even though I'm not very pretty now?" She asked.

"You're beautiful...my gorgeous, wonderful mate...if you let me...I will make us one." He breathed, amazed, shocked really by how much her shaky touch was affecting him. His blood was starting to race in his veins and his heart was pounding as her fingers lightly traced over the contours of his upper body, intermittently pulling him to her for another long hungry kiss.

He let her set the pace and make the choices, only glancing over briefly when Cristoff appeared again carrying a couple of bags and containers.

Lucy didn't look at him at all, eyes transfixed on Zen, fingers sliding over the Eagle tattoos on his right pectoral and side.

Cristoff started placing some things on the night stand. "Oils from the flowers on Angeal Reata, rub them into her skin, everything else is labeled or obvious. I brought a container of her favorite pasta and ice cream from the guild, get her to eat as soon as you can. Gentle...but..." Cristoffs glowing hand hovered over Lucys forehead and he smiled faintly.

"Already stronger than she was when I left, strong enough to mate...call if you need anything, I'll bring more food and supplies later." His brother said and vanished in a brief flash of silver light.

"Cristoff is sweet...you know your brother Kaleb feels a little like you…" She said softly and Zen smiled.

"He and I are the same height, almost the same weight though I'm about 10lbs lighter than him...I think it's the hair…" He smiled and Lucy chuckled, the sound making his chest tighten and warm.

She kissed him again and this time he fully responded, Cristoff had come and gone, no more interruptions.

He laid her on the bed and started pulling his clothes off, more than a little shocked when she started helping him, hunger filling her eyes, she was yanking his belt out of the way and roughly undoing his jeans, whimpering with impatience.

He eased her back farther onto the bed, following her, shedding the last of his clothes and freeing her of hers, letting his eyes take in her greyed palor, that some of her ribs showed, all of it. Noting with satisfaction her eyes hungrily devouring his own body. Genetics had given him the deep caramel skin tone of Boscans, made richer by time spent endlessly in the sun in the celestial realm.

A lifetime of heavy hard physical training had built his body powerfully with nearly as much muscle as Cristoff and Kaleb. Broad shoulders, a wide well muscled chest tapering down washboard abs to a trim wait and hips, a hard muscled well defined v led down to thick heavy cock resting between powerful thighs and Lucy licked her lips as she took it all in.

He rubbed the oil in his hands and started smoothing it over her while she stared at him, watched his muscles bunch and stretch under his tan skin. He worked quietly, kneading into her depleted flesh, working tense spots, he started at her feet and worked his way up her legs.

She caught how his eyes lingered at the apex of her legs, his gaze making her blood burn in her veins and she smiled faintly, seeing his member hardening as his hands moved again and he drew in deep breathes likely flooded with her arousal. Deliberately she rubbed her thighs together and sighed, noting how his breathing hitched and he closed his eyes for a moment.

That she excited him made warmth spread through her of another kind, but seeing his body react, that thick heavy length firming, the thought of it within her made her sex clench and he seemed to notice because he growled.

He continued with the oils though, knowing they would ease aches, give her energy he was about to tax so he slid his hands firmly upward over her hips and sides until he was gently rubbing the oil into her shoulders and over her collarbone until she lunged up, burying her hands in his hair and started kissing him, whimpering with need.

"P…please…I…I need you…" Lucy whimpered. She was just too far gone to be proud, this was him, her mate, Gods above she could feel strength coming into her from his nearness, could feel the darkness on the edges, the cold nothingness that had been stalking her for weeks now being pushed back and when his lips sealed over hers she moaned, fingers greedily pushing farther into his thick hair.

He pressed into her, lips and teeth teasing her skin, tugging at her ear lobe. "I need you Lucy, forgive me...I'll spend...our lives...making this up to you...I will Never. Leave. Again!" He breathed against her skin. His hands slid over her feverishly, one closing over a breast, the other drawing her body more tightly against his as he kissed her.

He was the air she needed to breathe, her strength, her vigor it was all tied up in him, without him she was empty and now, his hands gliding over her body it was like his touch was wiping away the pain, leaving only heat and need and lust in their wake. This gaping hole inside of her needed him to fill it.

Zen gave himself over, let his dragon just take full control, trusting his magic, his instincts more than himself.

Kissing her everywhere, touching her everywhere because he knew she needed him to, pushing his magic, letting it surround them in a faint golden haze so every breath she took, every inch of her body would feel his magic converting any pain to something so much better.

Her hands started moving over him and he reached between her legs, he could smell her powerful arousal, it was driving him mad, but was worried in her depleted state she wouldn't be able to do this comfortably, prepared to do anything he needed to in order to make it all work.

The magic was ancient, older than Earthland itself, and did its work thoroughly though, his fingers were bathed in wet heat and she was arching her body into him desperately, whimpering and mewling as his lips played over her throat, collar bone, between her heavy breasts then finally capturing a peak. Writhing she tugged at his hair, desperation from waiting far too long tearing at them both.

"Lucy…" Zen breathed, moving himself, gently pushing her thighs wider apart before grasping her hips and lifting them, lining himself up before pushing into her with a deep rumbling growl.

She cried out, the cry melting into a long moan of pleasure as he filled her and Lucy was coming more and more alive, the feel of him plunging into her body, stretching her center almost painfully was like a fire lit under her sluggish soul.

"Oh…Gods….Lucy…so…tight…" He gasped out and she gripped at his shoulder, bracing her feet and thrusting herself against him greedy, hungry, desperate for him to start moving.

"Give it to me…please…Zen…ah…you feel so good…please, please don't make me wait anymore." She begged and he growled, the sound coming from deep within him and sending shudders through Lucy as he started rocking himself in and out of her. A hand sliding up behind her head, the other gripping her beneath her ass, pulling her hard and firm into each long wonderful thrust of his hips. The contact, the union of their bodies, it breathed life into her, made her heart beat wildly, her breaths come deep and cleansing, his skin against hers like in her dreams, in her imaginings, starting to dampen in sweat as he moved, his weight felt so perfect, every part of him, everything she touched, felt, saw, was life for her.

"My mate…my beautiful mate…" he purred by her ear, his hand leaving her hair roaming her body, seeking out the erogenous spots he knew she would have, needing to learn them, deeply driven to find every single way he could pleasure her. He had so much to make up for, so much to mend. Anything, anything she wanted of him he would give, he was desperate to pour his strength into her, his soul, everything he was he wanted her to have.

"I…I thought you didn't want me…" She breathed out and Zen clenched his teeth against the remembered pain, driving into her, keeping his pace where she could match it.

"I want you…NEED you…oh Lucy….Gods...forgive me." He said, each word spilling as he drove into her.

"I..forgive you...Zen...just...love me...make me...yours...make us...forever…" She gasped out and he groaned as she pressed into him, meeting his movements, her eyes so full of hope and need and forgiveness he knew he didn't deserve.

"Never…I'll never…leave…again…" He breathed out and her nails raked down his back and she ground up into him. He matched her pace, kept himself where she needed him, where her body could handle him right now and his dragon was actually good about it.

"Wings...I want your wings…" Lucy moaned and he smiled faintly, chaneling magic into the deep black tattoo like marking across his shoulders that had been there since his birth. Long black wings spread then folded in, curling around then and Lucy gripped the ridged top of one with a hand, the feathers soft under her hand and Zen groaned. He felt those wings like arms and her fingers curling into one were like them digging into his skin. He loved it.

"Gods...so good..harder...Zen!" She gasped and he responded.

He had lost the right to drag this out, to savor it and make it truly amazing for them both. The oils made their bodies slide over each other wonderfully and tasted sweet when he licked over her skin. He held nothing back though, did not seek to prolong it, knowing the bond had to be sealed, completed as soon as possible.

They would have the rest of their lives for him to worship her body properly.

He snapped his hips into her, his thick length slamming in deep with every thrust until he felt her walls start to tighten and flutter on him then as she cried out, his name spilling from her in the midst of a moan he felt her get taken in ecstasy and as she tore him along with her he sank his fangs into her, pushing his magic into her and praying it wouldn't kill her in her weakened state.

He groaned against her neck as he drank her in, taking in her magic as he rocked into her, making sure the bliss of the orgasm would carry her through the pain of the sealing. The light of his Archangel magic flowing in with Draconic, raw, ancient and powerful.

Her breath caught and her body went rigid as that magic seared through her body, sent her magic containers shuddering, lit every magical nerve ending she had and his arms closed around her, holding her tight against him as she rode out the mating, the orgasms deep pleasure softening the intense searing pain of taking in Zens magic, two kinds pumped into her and he couldn't stop how it hit her.

"Be strong Lucy...let it in...Gods...I will love you, forever…" He whispered as she grit her teeth against the waves of pain. Her eyes opened and his magic flared, taking them both by surprise, golden flames licking over them both, pulsing through them deeper and deeper into the centers of their beings and Zen felt it, his need, to give all he was to her and it rended him, tore a piece of him away and pushed it into her through the fire. His very soul, for her.

Lucy couldn't even gasp, she felt it, saw it, he was inside of her, deeply buried within her, his seed filling her, then the fire enveloping her as his fangs pierced her skin, golden fire that coursed all through her then, more of him, the hole inside of her, all that was missing, was filled, she took him in, the pain and sadness didn't matter, she wanted him, all of him, would love him with all she was without reservation and she took it all in, everything he offered.

If she couldn't take it, if it took her, he'd die in seconds right behind her but this hadn't been avoidable, there was no way to prepare or strengthen for it. But her breathing came back, her chest heaving as he rolled to his back, holding her on top of him, letting her suck in needed air and get herself back under control. Even if she were fully healthy, this was risky because of what he was.

"G…Gods…nobody said anything about that part…" she panted.

"Nobody knew….I'm not just a Dragon Slayer remember, you just took in Dragon and Archangel magic put a part of my soul into you, nobody else had to go through that…" He said, kissing her, brushing her sweaty hair from her face.

"So…that's…are we…?" She didn't know what to say, her brain was short circuited, her body was just jelly, she felt just bone deep sated and was enjoying the fact he was still buried inside of her, semi hard still. He rolled to his back with her, letting her lay on top of him so she could breathe deep.

He smiled up at her, hissing in a breath when she spread her legs and he was drawn deeper into her.

"Yes…we're mated…you're mine now and I am definitely, completely...yours." He said softly.

She closed her eyes, felt his strength, felt it flowing between them balancing her out, she felt better than she had in...a very long time.

Lucy pressed down on him making him growl. "And you...are never running off again" She smirked lazily. Where her energy was coming from she wasn't sure, she hadn't had any in a long time, she hadn't slept much, hadn't even been eating enough to really survive.

His hands gripped her naughty hips. "One more of those and we're heading into round two ready or not woman." He warned. Lucy smirked again and rotated her hips; he groaned closing his eyes and she squealed as she was flipped to her back and he was suddenly snapping his hips into her. Oh what had she done…she could barely feel her legs!

He stilled though, hands smoothing down her sides. "If you need to rest…" He offered, he could probably last a week, but she was frail right now, her color was returning, and that made him happy, but she was thin, needed to eat maybe if he could get her to.

Moaning she pressed up into him, bucking up into him greedily, she may be exhausted, but looking up into wicked eyes like a sunset, she drove harder against him, exhausted fine, she sure wasn't dead, and she'd have to be not to tear right into the delectable man in her arms. She had him, he was hers, he'd even said he would love her, love her! She was too happy to not want, no, need more.

He was a gentle with her, rolled to his back and let her ride him until she couldn't handle the movement anymore and he gripped her hips and helped her finish them both.

They napped, sleeping for a few hours before Lucy needed him again, woke him with hungry kisses and he gladly gave her all she wanted, making her stop after they came, sitting on the couch making her eat her pasta before he would let her touch him or kiss him again, at her pouting he relented some, kisses between bites, touches, full on bone melting fucking when she finished the whole bowl.

It became a game, if she ate, he had to do anything she wanted. She popped the last bite of baked chicken he'd made into her mouth and eyed him up and down. In nothing but his boxer briefs he was just mouthwatering.

"Anything I want.." She said, twirling the fork in her fingers and he smirked, placing his hands on the table behind her, caging her between his arms then leaning in, the muscles of his arms and chest flexing deliciously under his tan skin but his searing kiss make her eyes flutter shut so she couldn't stare.

"Anything." He purred and she smiled, blushing at the idea that came into her head and he grinned.

"Oh whatever you just thought of I so want to do…" He said huskily, a wave of arousal wafting up from her and making him sink to his knees in front of her.

Lucy reached out, her hand sliding into his hair as she chewed her lip uncertainly. "Well...I've never had...um...no guy has ever…" Fuck how did she say no man had ever gone down on her without sounding like a perv? Zen caught on though, purple eyes flashing, a wicked smirk curling his lips as he reached forward and pushed the little robe she was wearing open before sliding his hands down to her knees and pushing them apart.

Lucys eyes widened in alarm but he tilted her chair back against the table as he leaned in, hands gripping her butt cheeks and pulling her forward on the seat of the chair as his mouth descended between her thighs. Her gasp of pleasure when his tongue took it's first languid trip up her center made him smile, her taste perfect, her scent heavy and making him lightheaded and hungry for her. Lucy learned then her mate was as skilled with his tongue as he was his fingers. And, that she really, very much liked oral sex.

She'd heard mixed things, some mates were done in a day or two, some longer some shorter, but Zen and Lucy were still writhing against each other days later. Cristoff was good for his word and had brought food, it just showed up, the fridge and pantry fully stocked, a note scrawled on the fridge.

"Congratulations, come to the guild when you're ready- Everyone." That had to have been delivered by Vander, nobody else could have gotten in and out silent and swift like that man could.

At one point Cana had come and knocked at the door and Lucy had answered wrapped in a sheet, hair all over and Cana had gotten a glimpse of a tall tanned body stretched out on Lucys bed. She'd tried to crane her neck to see more but Lucy blocked her, thanked her for coming by and closed and locked the door.

Loud cries and moans and the sound of the bed banging against the wall had Cana cackling before she reached the bottom of the steps and she paused under the window she knew they were near.

"You fuck that sexy thing Lucy!" She screamed up, ignoring the shocked looks from the people on the street and turning and heading back to the guild.

The mark on her neck was dark and filled in completely and still they alternated who was insatiable, who needed just one more time. Nearly two weeks after Zen had carried Lucy from the guild and they finally, after taking yet another shower that had degraded into Lucy pinned against the wall screaming as Zen fucked her, they put on clothes and went to the guild.

Lucy needed a strawberry milkshake, and probably a steak, baked potato, and hamburger with everything on it, fries, fry sauce…some pie…she was starving. They had eaten, cooking with Zen proving to be a whole new delight for her, but they had also been banging each others brains out for two weeks, only occasionally taking time to sleep, cuddle, talk and no matter what they did it seemed to end up in sex.

Regardless, she had put on some of the weight she'd lost because of their game and was back to glowing golden locks and bright mischievous eyes before the end of the first week.

Lucy had no complaints at all. After a year of nothing but her own fingers and a B.O.B the feel of her mate, his lips, his hands, his whole body was just incredible. He was a passionate, attentive, lover too, she'd been with men who just didn't get her there, took their own and left her just…disappointed, but Zen, every time, every single time, she got at least one if not two bone deep world rocking orgasms that he was very good at prolonging.

The bond left him wide open for her too, she could feel what he did, when he was uncertain, happy, and delighted in finding that when they wanted each other, that conveyed very well through the bond too.

Love though, that flowed powerfully. Zen seemed almost like a fountain of it, his love for her ran deep and strong and she felt it, all through her very being she knew, felt how much she meant to him, how much he regretted what he'd put her through, and in true Lucy fashion, she let her hurt, her anger, go.

It served no purpose, got in the way of enjoying being the happiest she had ever been, with a mate, a lover, someone who just adored her and all she was, accepted every quirk. He had his own, he was a doer, the type of person who got things done, not the leap in blind with your ass hanging out like Natsu, but he didn't rethink plans, he acted on them.

He loved chocolate and preferred scotch to vodka, wine to beer. Shared her love of pasta which had made making spaghetti with him one night amazing fun because he was as enthusiastic about it as she was. He was fine sitting on the couch with her using him as a pillow watching movies or TV while she read, was great at jenga, decent enough at cards they both got naked at enough of an equal rate the decision to abandon the game and just fuck on the coffee table was mutual.

So when they walked to the guild she was leaning happily against him, comfortable, sure everything would work out, they were together and Gods above she was in love, what could be better? She still needed to deal with Loke, have a serious talk with him, and had gotten Zen to agree, very quickly and a little sheepishly too, that he wouldn't interfere or chase after Loke, ever again.

He had a lot to face himself, his family, Draco, even the guild who had watched their light dim and fade, shrink into misery because of him. But she would stand right next to him, would only let it go so far, ultimately, she had forgiven him, and it was her who had suffered, so her friends, her guild family, had to accept that, had to accept Zen, he was part of her now, rejecting him would be rejecting her and she knew she needed to make that clear.

When they entered the guild hall the din and activity was normal for a Friday evening. Cana looked up as they approached the bar grinning, eyes travelling up and down the tall man beside Lucy, seeming oblivious to the fact his hand was clasped tightly in Lucys.

"Ok, now I can see why you had no interest in leaving the bed to talk to me last week…damn girl." She smirked and Lucy rolled her eyes, Zen wasn't really paying attention, he'd already met Cristoffs gaze and his family was looking at him expectantly from across the guild hall.

What he was going to say was already struggling to come together in his head. So he didn't even see Cana slip off her barstool and walk near him but he definitely felt her hand clench down on his ass. His surprised look was nothing compared to Lucys, who hauled off and decked Cana to the floor.

"Uh uh…no, that's a line even you aren't crossing right now Cana, I love you, but don't you touch him, he's MINE." Lucy snarled and Cana held a hand up laughing, having the grace to blush a little.

"Ok, ok, sorry honey just, way too many fine asses are off the market now, I forgot myself…" She said.

"He was never ON the market in the first place. I just got him back, just mated so don't push my buttons yet, hear me?"

Natsu was sitting beside Cristoff wide eyed, and smiled "Guess we should uh, probably not be too hard on Zen huh? I mean…Luce will kick our asses." He observed. Scary Lucy was nothing anyone wanted to tangle with.

Kaleb was grinning. "They're ok…I guess maybe we just leave it all to Lucy, it's their business…as long as they're ok, Lucy sure looks a ton better." He agreed.

Cobra heaved a sigh, he heard a lot of what Kaleb did just in a slightly different way, Lucy was happy, elated even, her light was back and she really, badly just wanted to enjoy the evening at the guild, maybe show off the decidedly dark mating mark on her neck. He smirked and nudged Kaleb who nodded knowingly, attention directed by his mate to Lucys neck.

"Well, we know what they've been doing, that's for sure." He chuckled.

"Bunnys been fucking like her names sake." Gajeel chuckled, ignoring Levys sharp look. "What? Only way a mating mark fills in that dark in two weeks is if the couple are going at it like crazy shrimp…you should know…" He winked at her and she blushed, Bickslow snickering and kissing her shoulder.

Zen and Lucy approached and Cristoff stood, stepped around the table and crushed his older brother into a hug.

"She looks worlds better. Congratulations." He said into Zens ear before stepping back so Kaleb could claim him.

To his utter shock, Zen and Lucy were greeted with open arms, he suspected Lucys display with Cana might have played a part, but the fact his brothers and sisters were smiling at him instead of glaring took a huge weight off of him.

Ultimately, they were all just thrilled to finally have him with them, they had all been forced to deal with Zen growing up apart from the family because of his magic and the intense demands of training him to use and control it.

They ate there, surrounded by their family and friends and Lucy was quick to

squirm into Zens lap, something he didn't even blink over that she had wanted for a long while now.

To sit in the guild, the arms of someone who loved her around her, able to steal kisses, make him stiffen and suck in a breath when she would sneak in a more brazen touch here and there and gasping herself when he did it back. She had honestly dreamed of this very scenario she didn't even know how many times and here she was, finally living it.

Reaching up she brushed a heavy lock of sunbleached hair back from Zens face as he was talking with Kaleb, the world slowing a bit for her while she watched him, felt him, the bond was strong, so much stronger than it had ever been, real and firm and suddenly the center of her heart. She could face anything now, as long as she had these arms to run into when it was done.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Draco stared into the pool narrowing critical eyes. "He did it, got to her in time, and she was strong enough for the bond to work, did you tell his father?" The massive being beside the dragon asked.

Draco nodded. "I did, the day after he reached her and we knew the mating took and she was going to be ok. Arman would hunt me down if I hadn't kept him updated…"

The Spirit king chuckled. "Indeed, they've all found each other, now we wait."

Draco smirked. "Zen will protect her, we couldn't have made him stronger and kept him mortal and if we'd tipped the balance she wouldn't have survived the mating. She's smart enough…strong enough for him…for all of this." Draco said, almost as if convincing himself.

The Spirit King frowned at him. "Of course she is, the only concern was whether or not we could get Zen to her quickly enough. Leo will need to mend his relationship with her….won't you old friend?"

The Lion spirit sighed, nodding

"Yes your majesty…I have a lot of apologizing to do."


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Ok, so it's been a lil while since an update, I apologize profusely for that, but here's a longer chapter, and already working on the next, Desna and I are still asking for readers to review, as it keeps us going. Hope you enjoy some of the different things that come to light in this chapter

* * *

Lucy leaned back, smiling, the warm tropical air blowing through her hair as she felt her back come against Zens firm chest, his arms warm around her as they stood on the deck of the airship, looking out over the deep cerulean sea watching the Archipelago islands coming closer.

This, where she was now, where she had been since they were eating in the guild and he'd told her he was taking her to Archipelago, it was beyond her wildest hopes and dreams.

"Are...are you going to marry me?" She asked him and everyone at the table had fallen silent. Zens arms had tightened around her, soft lips pressed to her temple.

"If you say yes…" He whispered back and she had jerked around in his hold trying to face him. He'd chuckled and shoved their dinner dishes aside, lifted her up and placed her on the table before him, sliding from the chair to his knees and tears had filled her eyes.

Levys hand flew to her mouth, the other gripping Bickslows thigh so hard he winced as they all watched Zen kneel in front of Lucy.

"Lucy Heartfilia, I, Zen Pradesh, second Prince of Archipelago, Lord of Angeal Reata, ask to take you to wife. I ask you to share my bed, my trials and my joys, be the mother of my children and equal partner at my side for all time, do you accept?" He asked. Mated, a piece of his own soul within her, he still knelt and felt nerves fray as she stared for a moment at him in wide teary eyed shock.

She flew at him then, tackling him to the hard wood floor.

"Yes...oh Gods YES!" She shrieked and most of the Dragon Slayers wavered and shook their heads in pain but chuckled. The guild had about gone insane.

The next morning they were aboard the Airship they were on now, en route to Archipelago and Lucy was so happy she felt like she was floating. Arman, her friend, was going to become her father in-law and Zen...She slid her hands over his forearms that rested across her, pressing into his embrace more and smiling at his pleased rumble.

Two weeks as his mate, with a part of his soul within her, and she wasn't afraid to admit she was in love with him. Head over fucking heels out of her mind in love. Even better, she felt her love reflected back from him, he loved her too, she could feel it, basked in it, revelled in it.

"Your Dad is going to be happy." She said lightly.

He smiled, nuzzling into her, kissing her neck. "After he tears me apart for being a fucking idiot...yes." He chuckled. He wasn't looking forward to facing his father, well, that wasn't true, he was overjoyed he was bringing his mate home, safe and sound, but he knew he had a very well deserved ass chewing ahead of him before his father let the celebrations begin.

"He'll forgive you." She said and he nodded, trailing his lips to her jaw.

"Mmm...I know...he loves me, and he's overjoyed you, Lucy Heartfilia, are my mate and fiance, but he's still going to chew my ass off over what I did...I deserve every bit of it too." He mumbled while he nibbled at the column of her neck.

"Mmm, I deserve you naked...or maybe on your knees..." She smirked wickedly and he chuckled.

"We're docking in 20 minutes…" He glanced over to a bathroom by the pool a short distance away from where they stood. Most passengers were crowded at the rails enjoying the views as they came in. He smirked, grabbing her hand and pulling her with him into the bathroom, slamming the door shut and locking it as she laughed. He lifted her onto the sink counter, sliding her skirt up with his eyes locked on hers.

"I can definitely get you off before the ship docks…" He grinned wickedly and she bit her lip, scooting to the edge and yanking at the button of his white shorts, not bothering with the white button up shirt, they didn't have time to get all the way naked…

They were some of the last passengers off the ship, Lucy a little wobbly on her legs and Zen whispering wickedly it was a good thing all the Dragon Slayers were back home because they smelled deliciously of sex in spite of a hasty attempt to clean up some in the bathroom.

An Airbus waited for them, Gerard, who Lucy recognized from her former trips here, bowing and waiting for them to get in and sit before he went to the pilot's seat and flew them to the palace.

Arman was there with Farron and Wendy and Lucy, in spite of the tension she felt coming from Zen at his looming talk with his father, was thrilled to see the young Dragon Slayer. She ran right to her and Wendy met her halfway.

"Lucy! Oh my Gods, You're mated, congratulations!" Wendy grinned, hugging her and then giving her a knowing look, Lucy suddenly realizing there was ONE Dragon Slayer aside from Zen they hadn't left in Fiore. But Wendy she could handle, only blushing a little at the look.

"Lucy! Oh my dear, It seems you were meant to be more than just a friend to this family. You've been patient waiting, tell me my son has made you happy since he took so much time finally bringing you into our family!" Arman said pointedly, pulling Lucy in for a hug of his own and giving Zen a hard look the Archangel had the grace to look sheepish under.

She beamed at Arman and his green eyes moved over her appraisingly, she looked healthy, well, the three months of misery Zen had added onto what had already been unhappy times for this beautiful woman seemed behind her, she looked radiant, and the mating mark on her neck was dark, displaying evidence of Zens close attention to his mate.

"He's made me very happy Arman, please don't be mad at him, I want to enjoy this trip." She said softly and Arman smiled at her, cupping her chin and kissing her forehead.

"My sweet lady, I wouldn't be a proper father if I didn't give my son hell for defying me and then doing exactly what he so arrogantly said he wouldn't." He said, narrowed eyes on his son. Lucy pulled from his arms and went to Zen, wrapping her arms around him and kissing his cheek.

"Just don't break him...I need him." She said and Arman laughed.

Lucy was taken by Farron and Wendy then, while Zen unhappily followed his father in a different direction.

The path wasn't a familiar one, taking them down long stairs beneath the castle. "Dad…" He breathed and his father held up a hand.

"Just keep walking Zen, even if I vanish from sight keep following the stairs, we will talk when we reach the bottom." His father said firmly and Zen sighed, already feeling uncomfortable with his distance from Lucy.

"Not in love with being so far from Lucy…" He grumbled. Arman looked at him pointedly.

"Good, now I know you're feeling like you damn well should." His father replied and Zen winced but said nothing else, deciding to try to limit the number of times he stuck his foot in his mouth.

Arman vanished and Zen narrowed his eyes, his magic following the spatial gating that happened and he smirked, tapping it, finding how his father had been moved and to where and gated himself, appearing in a flash of gold and purple, his father gasping and stepping back.

Zen smiled. "Well...that's interesting gate magic...Celestial channeling through a labyrinth of gates not moving a spirit but instead moving a mortal being...I thought I was the only one who could do that…"

"You are." Came a bland reply and his eyes moved and he bit back a curse meeting Dracos narrow eyed look. Great, BOTH fathers.

"He can gate himself in here? I thought the spell was too complex…" Arman breathed.

"I just followed how you had gone through Dad, when you vanished I paid attention…" Zen said and Draco smirked at Arman, he'd taught the young Slayer very well, his ability to trace a gate and reproduce it was evidence of that. It was hard magic, but they had known he would need it.

Arman couldn't hide his proud look, didn't even try to. "Good, your mastery of your magic is evident, so Dracos idea of making you a Dragon Slayer was clearly the wisest choice. However, while it has made you stable magically I'm concerned about your mastery of the instincts and drives that come with the magic. Your brother and sister both have mastered theirs here on Earthland, where challenges and issues arise every day to push at those instincts, test your control over your inner dragon. The fact you were able to, because of your anger with Leo, walk away and abandon your mate after being so powerfully driven to go find her? That alarms me Zen." He said.

Zen was about to speak when his father waved his hand and the walls in the cavern they stood in fell away. Zens eyes widened and in moments he picked out familiar shapes in the coral…

"Dragons…" He breathed stepping forward he raised his hand to the wall and the coral of Angeal Reata zoomed in. His eyes glowed then, gold lighting the cavern while Arman and Draco stood silently watching him.

"Risurpico...The Dragon of Dawn...ally of Gilasfriel, the Star of Morning...Guardians of the East." He breathed in a voice not entirely his own.

"Lucy is going to need to see this..." Zen murmured, leaning against a pillar as his eyes roamed over the walls off the cavern. He could feel the magic pulsing deep within himself, making his blood sing, and he still didn't know why. He knew though, that somehow Lucy was a part of it.

"She will, once you two are married." Arman stated, hands tucked into his pockets as he eyed his son. "She can't come here unless she is bound to you in that way, it's the only way the protections will recognize her."

"No...she can...don't ask me how I know...but I do...I'll be right back." With a burst of light Zen disappeared, leaving Arman and Draco staring after him in shock before cursing. Before they could hurry down one of the hallways to get back to the castle, Zen reappeared...with Lucy wrapped in his arms, blinking in shock.

By this point, Arman and Draco were shocked speechless, and watched as Lucy looked around at the colorful murals on the walls. Without a word, she stepped from Zen's arms, walking towards to the wall that showed Angeal Reata, her head tilting slightly. Placing her hand against the dragon shaped coral that was zoomed in, she found herself oddly calm when a large spot right next to her hand shifted into a slitted pupil eye that blinked at her.

Arman and Draco felt their jaws drop when they heard a male voice echo through the room, the power behind it causing even them to stagger some.

"Is it time then my Queen?"

When Lucy answered, they shivered. Her voice sounded like hers, but much older, much wiser, than her years, and Arman realized there was indeed much more to the beautiful blond than he had originally believed.

"Not yet Risurpico, not all has been revealed, but let the others know that darkness is thriving, and we will be needed once more. And we have been friends for how long now? I think we can drop the Queen bit."

"Of course...Andromeda." With that the eye slipped closed once more, blending smoothly into the coral from before, and the presence that had filled the cavern disappeared. Turning back to the others, Lucy walked past them to the middle of the room. Lifting her hands out to her sides, they began to glow gold, brightening the cavern, before sparks of gold flew from her hands to various points along the walls. As they watched, it took a moment for them to realize that the points created a constellation, and had their eyes widening.

There were no words to express the shock and confusion that Arman and Draco felt, and when Lucy turned back to them, eyes glowing golden like Zen's had, it was instinct that had them taking a knee.

"Tell Loke that if he wants to make amends, then to find my key, and bring it to Lucy. And tell Markarov to give Levy the book." Lucy stated, still in that voice that was, but wasn't, her own. When the last word passed her lips, Lucys eyes fell shut as she dropped to the ground, Zen lunging forward to catch her head before it hit the ground.

He sat on his bent legs, gathering Lucy to him and she blinked several times reaching up for him, hands cupping his face.

"I can still….feel her…" She breathed. Zen held her to him, bending to touch his forehead to hers.

Arman and Draco stared in shocked amazement, watching the glowing golden eyes meeting glowing golden eyes.

Draco felt it, celestial, draconic magic mixing with the purest light that was the Archangel magic and he realized...it merged in the couple before him. Lucy didn't hold the draconic, only Zen did, but the light, the Archangel magic, so powerful, so difficult to rein, it flowed through them both and he wished suddenly Bickslow was there to tell them just what the union between the couple looked like now...

"My Prince…" He began.

"King...I am a King Draco…" The golden eyes flared and Arman and Draco both threw their arms up turning their heads away from the intensity of it.

When the light dimmed and they could look again the walls of the cavern were back to normal and Zen had tipped over to the floor breathing hard.

"Zen!" Arman lunged forward coming to his own knees beside Lucy and his son. They had meant only to have a stern talk with Zen, show him the Islands from below, talk to him about his ancestors.

Zen had grown up with Archangel magic as something that endangered him, kept him from his family and made him unpleasantly unique. Raising him so he didn't hate his own magic had been difficult, and he'd not been taught about his ancestors, or where they knew his magic had come from, what it meant.

Arman was about to grasp his sons shoulders when he vanished, gone, no flash or glittering after effects as his gate magic usually triggered, just...gone. He jerked his head around to look in alarm at Draco whose mouth was hanging open as stunned as the King.

"Where is he?! Arman demanded and Draco reached out hard and fast with his magic. His key wasn't directly bound to Zen but he was quick to reach out to the spirits that were when his magic touched all of the islands and found Zen nowhere.

Lucy suddenly clutched her chest and closed her eyes, suddenly, horrifyingly, Zen had vanished from the other end of their link. One moment there, strong, warm and reassuring, holding her in his arms, strange warm magic flowing between them like silken bathwater when suddenly, there was an odd sensation that he had...changed somehow, suddenly cold, he fell to his side and then...gone.

"Z...Zen!" She gasped out, her whole being screaming for him. Arman gathered Lucy to him and looked desperately at Draco who was shaking his head as he was reaching out to Zens spirits, none knew where he was, all were reporting back he had disappeared and they couldn't feel him anymore.

"I can't feel him! He's gone!" Lucy cried and Arman looked stricken, glaring at Draco.

"GO! Go to the celestial realm and see if the King knows about this!"

0-0-0-0-0

Zen blinked, looking around him in confusion, everything was...warm...swirling golds and soft blues made up the "sky" and he realized there was someone standing nearby.

He stood, facing them, a man, with blonde hair and pale gray eyes wearing a gray suit, long white wings partially folded in. Zens eyes widened taking the mans appearance in in stunned silence.

"Galasfriel." The man greeted him bowing his head. "I am Micheal...your guardian...it is good to see your soul again." He said smiling warmly.

"I'm...my name is Zen...Zen Pradesh." Zen replied. Staggering a little, he felt Lucys absence, she was just...gone...the realization made him grimace and clutch at his chest. Micheal smiled.

"Your mortal name yes, your souls name is Galasfriel, the last king of the Archangels of Earthland. You have a long road ahead of you my friend and we haven't much time to speak, I must send you back quickly so those who love you do not suffer your absence long, you can feel it acutely I imagine, your soul mates tremendous distance from you right now, I am sorry for that." He said, holding out a hand he indicated a chair that had suddenly appeared and Zen sat heavily, overwhelmed by the magic he was feeling all around him, in the very air he was breathing and the distinct pain of the void he felt where Lucy should be.

"You were the last Archangel to leave Earthland over 800 years of that realm ago. You are now the first to return, born to King Arman Pradesh. Your struggles, I am sorry...were necessary. From this point on I can only speak with you through dreams, your dragon soul will not allow more, possessive as it is of you, and it is good you have it so that's fine." Micheal said, taking a suddenly materialized seat across from Zen.

"As the first Archangel mage born back to Earthland, you will be charged with guiding those who are following, so be certain to chronicle your experiences well, last time you refused and caused yourself a great deal of trouble by leaving no guide for yourself to follow on your return. Before I return you, the most important thing I wish to tell you is to protect Andromeda well and assure the chamber of gates I just took you from is never breached. As unlikely as it is, it could be, you are still charged with its protection, it is the only place where gates to the 16 kingdoms of heaven can be accessed and so must be protected lest unholy seek to steal into the light." Micheal said and stood, Zen standing because he felt himself compelled to.

"Now, I will grant your armor and implant your ability to call it, you've not worn it for more than 800 years but we've kept it safe." He waved his hand and Zens whole body seized, every muscle clenched, his arms thrown out to the sides.

"Sorry, imprinting is always painful…" Micheal said off handedly. Zen stood wavering slightly, hand flying to his chest and clattering. Looking down he realized he was in armor, a full suit of silver and gold armor. "No unholy touch or magic can breach that armor, there are other things that can though so do not believe it impervious, it isn't. There, you're ready, I'll send you back… I shall visit you in dreams my friend." The man said and with a wave of his hand Zen gasped and was suddenly flat on his back in the cavern again in his shorts and shirt.

He blinked, completely disoriented and confused by what had just happened.

"ZEN!" Lucys cry was followed shortly by the woman crashing down on top of him, wide eyed and frantic, her doe brown eyes flying over him from head to foot, her hands running over him for a few moments before she lunged down and kissed him so hard he grunted, hands flying up to grip her shoulders.

"Thank the Gods!" His fathers voice was a flood of relieved confusion, the words rasped out, roughened by intense emotion.

"Zen...where…" Lucy mumbled against his lips and he just kissed her back, his thoughts too scattered to make sense of anything, and the void of her absence suddenly full again had him just weak with relief. His arms wound around her, holding her to him and he kissed her again, soft and sweet before sitting up.

"I'm sorry Dad...I really don't know what...happened." He admitted.

Draco re-appeared, wide eyed as Arman was wrapping his arms around Lucy and Zen both.

There were be no stern talk...reminded of what loss felt like...Arman had no desire for it any longer, he was just grateful his son was there, with his beautiful mate and that both were safe. They would work out details when the need came.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Arman sat smiling, a good nights sleep, a few calls, and he felt worlds better. Farron and Wendy to his right, Zen and Lucy to his left, they were relaxing enjoying a peaceful breakfast, though the discussion was somewhat intense. It did Armans heart good to see his son though, healthy, clearly immensely happy with his mate, who he lavished with attention in typical Dragon Slayer fashion.

Lucy just bloomed under it all too, she loved it, and you could no longer tell she had come so close to death because of Zens foolish pursuit of Loke. Draco had taken Lucys odd message to the Lion spirit and come back smiling faintly at Arman.

"He's jumped on it, I think...for the first time since I've known the damn cat, he's seriously committed to his keyholder, but he's got a lot to prove to mend the rift in his bond with Lucy." The Dragon spirit said.

Arman sighed, sitting back in his chair by his desk. "With Zen as well, though he will never step around Lucy to discipline one of her spirits again, not after what this time nearly cost them….Andromeda, Draco...and I've found information on the Dragon Risurpico, just as was said, he was called the Dragon of Dawn, and was bound to the Archangel Mage Galasfriel. The text specifically said "bound" too, I want you to look into that. If you have never trained a Dragon Slayer before, how would an Archangel mage have a dragon bound to them?" He asked.

Draco smiled at him. "You have Lucy now Arman, or Zen does, she has Crux the Southern Cross, he can research amazingly better than I can, use the guilds too, you have a branch of White Sea here and Kaleb has been working out the sisterhood with Fairy Tail and putting in the Teleportation pad linking Fairy Tail to the White Sea Guild Hall on his island. He's had his mages working on that for months now." Draco reminded him and Arman grinned.

He loved the idea of expanding his resources, that his children were doing it through their marriages, well, that made him happier. Having all of his children settled with mates also gave him a great deal of joy, he'd long since started praying for Grandchildren. Emzadi and Laxus would be providing him with his first and now he was becoming a needling Father after all of his children to follow suit, more than willing to arrange surrogates for those who had mated so they couldn't have them on their own.

"The 16 kingdoms...realms of existence tied to Earthland. I may have Levy research that…" He said and Draco smirked at his friend.

"Perfect." His eyes faded a moment as he listened and his smirk deepened. "You have company Sire...beautiful woman too…" He purred and Arman narrowed his eyes.

"Than you, need to get lost, I haven't seen her since before the whole mess with Zen leaving Lucy happened, we're having dinner privately, no Dragons." He snapped and the spirit chuckled, bowing and departing before the knock on the door drew Armans pale green eyes into a predatory glow.

He'd had...of course...a very good evening...night...with his female visitor, and was feeling particularly good, wondering idly if Zen and Lucys children would have blonde hair like their mother or darker hair from his side of things. His wife had mahogany colored hair, streaked gold like Zens, Farron had inherited her blue eyes and Zen had Armans grandfathers purple and gold eyes. Poetic almost, his grandfather had been a celestial mage, and now Zen was, and he had his grandfathers eyes...almost like the Celestial Dragon Slayer had been something he was born to become, not just….

He stilled inwardly, Arman knew too much to doubt how fate could work. Gods above, the horrid instability of Zens magic after his mother, a celestial mage, had died, how it hadn't balanced until the Celestial Dragon Slayer magic had been given to him...Galasfriel had been bound to the Dragon of Dawn… If Zen was Galasfriel reborn, he may well have needed those two magics in order to function as a whole person. They knew precious little about the Archangel Mages, there just were no records of much more than their deeds.

"You ok Dad?" Farron asked, noting his fathers far away look. Arman smiled.

"Yes, just wool gathering, all of this has me doing a lot of it. Your older brother Kaleb is a...fan of Galasfriel, Zen, he knows a great deal about the man. You should talk with him about it, that angel earring he wears….that's Galasfriel."

Zen smirked. "My brother wears an earing of who I...was...in a former life huh?...this is bizarre." He sighed, feeling Lucys hand high on his thigh, squeezing and moving his leg so it touched hers. Contact was just too soothing to deny it when he could get it. He was no longer shocked by his endless need for her either, over the last couple of weeks since he'd returned to her, he'd adjusted to it. Sort of...instead of being concerned by it, he just went with it. He knew he'd wake up wanting her, needing her, and that she did the same thing. He hadn't had the chance to ask Cristoff, or hell even Wendy if that was a Dragon slayer thing or if it was part of a piece of his soul now residing in his mate...or both.

The rending of his soul had been the sweetest agony he'd ever felt, and he knew now, after talking with Bickslow, that was unique to Archangels. His brother was on his way to Archipelago, he and his mates hadn't been there since their coronations and Bickslow needed to visit Anam, all three of them were missing it. They would for the rest of their lives if they were away too long. The Islands called to those who were bound to them.

Their father had asked Bickslow to come, he wanted his son to look over Lucy and Zen, specifically within the "Cavern of Gates" Lucy called it. They wouldn't go down there again without Bickslow there.

He and his mates, and even Vander and Rogue arrived later that day too, but everyone settled in for a quiet evening before facing anymore unknowns. Lucy was happy to see Levy, she needed to do something and wanted to ask her friend about it.

She was happy, she couldn't claim in any way she wasn't, she had everything she'd dreamed of for years. Zen was attentive, affectionate, and every bit the toe curling world rocking lover she'd dreamed he would be. She was steadily gaining weight back, helped along by the fact Zen would reward her for eating well, would even refuse her, not let her get her hands under his clothes or get actual sex until she did...He wouldn't let her even talk about dieting or watching her weight, vowed he'd knock Natsu out and skin Happy if he caught either of them saying she had a weight issue too.

There was just a feeling, under it all, that he had left her, she still refused to let Loke come though, wouldn't speak with him, wasn't ready to. She was a forgiving woman, always had been, but damn it...3 months. Yes part of the blame was on Loke, even on her for bringing the whole thing up in the first place, but Zen owed her something and even he told her he felt he had a lot to make up for, and he really did.

She had nearly died, his aggressive, possessive reaction, which yes was instinct but STILL, he was a man not a beast, had nearly cost them both their lives. Typical of a Dragon Slayer, he didn't like her being on top, almost any other position we was more than fine with, he'd already shown her some things she never would have thought of that had turned out to be incredible.

She smiled slightly as an idea started to form, and reaching for the edge of the swimming pool sized bath she was relaxing in, touched Virgos key. She and her punishment specialist needed to have a talk….

It wasn't hard to get Levy aside and ask her about what Virgo and her had come up with, it was easier still for Levy to get Bickslow and Gajeel in on it and they led a blushing Lucy into the "Playroom" built between Bickslow and Vanders chambers in the palace.

"Already talked to Van, he and Rogue are going to stay on Scath Island tonight and we're going to stay on Anam so….all yours Bunny Girl, now come here, I'll show you how this works…" Gajeel said beckoning her over to the piece of equipment she was going to use.

She almost chickened out, almost called it off but Gajeel stepped up to her. "For Dragons, what he did was unprecedented Lucy, I understand how it happened, but whether he knows it or not? He needs this, your bond needs this. You aren't a Dragon Slayer, you can't do this like one of us could, so...you use this room, and the techniques Virgo taught you...he'll submit, the dragon soul inside him won't let him resist long if he does, not after what he did. Your feelings are right Bunny. Besides…" He smirked then "You two may find you like it...I know we sure as hell do."

Levy nodded vigorously and Bickslow grinned. "He's my brother Cosplayer, and I say you punish his ass and have fun doing it." He smirked then and Levy rolled her eyes.

"You can do this Lu...you'll do fine, Zen loves you, keep reminding yourself, you need this, you both do, your bond needs this."

With the encouragement, Lucy agreed and her friends left her, Bickslow dropping the key in her hand to get into the playroom through the hidden hallway he'd shown her before joining his mates.

Looking at the room one last time, she drew a breath and summoned Virgo who bowed and when she stood taking in the playroom, the maid grinned.

"Punishment Princess?" She said hopefully and Lucy smiled.

"Not for you yet Virgo, let's get this started, go get Zen." She ordered and Virgo nodded vanishing while Lucy turned to start changing into the outfit Virgo had made for her, there wasn't much of it, but it definitely made her look seriously ready for the activities she had planned for her mate. They could go see the flowers in the morning...this had to happen now.

Zen was lounging in the sitting room off the bedroom of his and Lucys private chambers, going through the books his father had provided. He had a lot of research to do, he was going to need to enlist Lucys spirit Crux. His own spirit Orion might be able to help a lot too, he was known for finding things, he was after all the hunter. Maybe he could find knowledge on Archangel mages, Galasfriel...Resurpico the Dragon of Dawn. It was all overwhelming, he was his own person, he was Zen Pradesh, and being himself had been complicated enough thank you...this all was just...ridiculous.

He looked up when there was a shift in magic and he felt a spirit come through a gate. Virgo stood before him and bowed.

"Prince Zen, my Princess has asked me to bring you to her." She told him. He put his book down and stood, frowning slightly. Why would Lucy send Virgo for him? She had a com. He didn't hesitate though, if Lucys spirit came for him at Lucys bidding, he'd follow. He owed lucy far too much to deny her anything, he still felt...shaky in their bond. It was strong, a piece of him resided within her, his soul had rended to complete hers and it had created a deep and powerful bond….but still, his dragon remained restless, unhappy still over how they had hurt their mate.

So he followed Virgo without question, even when she opened the hidden passageway to the narrow hallway behind the walls to the staircase down into a part of the castle he'd never visited, hadn't known existed. This was near Bickslow and Vanders chambers and he wondered if they knew about it.

Virgo stopped at a heavy door and pushed it open, pushing him through ahead of her, the spirits grip on his arm tight enough he flinched.

He stepped into the room and stood motionless, eyes widening as he took it all in. Here was a bed, a round and elevated, with straps and chains both attached to it and hanging down from the ceiling above it. A cross with leather straps and chains on it, various whips, devices...dear Gods he recognized some of them from his time with the Sudehpah...sex toys...the room smelled faintly of it, it was clean, not a spec of dust even anywhere, but this was…

Standing by an x-frame that was lowered so the base was touching the ground, was Lucy, she wore white leather...barely. A corset that pressed her ample chest up and didn't really cover it, he could see the gorgeous dusty rose nipples, her peaches and cream skin. A tiny white leather thong, white leather thigh high spike heeled boots and leather bracers and she was swinging a whip in her hands, her long blonde hair pulled back in a pony tail.

His mouth ran dry, he had a small amount of experience with this sort of thing from his time with the Sudehpah, but only the basics, his mind was tripping over the concept of Lucy looking at him in the predatory way she was.

Then she said something that changed the defiance already rising in him, the resistance, and had his dragon rolling over inside him baring all...

"You promised me…" She said.

He narrowed his eyes, they flashed, more golden than amethyst in an instant, but he bowed his head. "I'll keep my promise." He vowed.

"Yes you will...Now...strip and come here." She said firmly.

Zen raised his head, meeting her eyes, growling but his hands moved, grabbing the collar of his shirt and tugging it up and off, dropping it to the ground before undoing his pants and dropping them with his boxer briefs, kicking off his sandals he left his clothes and walked to her, never taking his eyes off hers, satisfied her breath caught more than once as his clothes had fallen away and the scent of arousal was strong on her, her heart beating rapidly even though her eyes stayed cool.

She shouldered her whip and took his arm, pulling him to the x-frame and he growled at it baring his fangs but he turned and laid back on it, letting her strap him to it and secure heavy iron cuffs over his wrists and ankles.

Lucy kept running through it all in her head, trying to keep her thoughts straight, Zen was just...Gods her little thong was soaked the moment he'd tugged his shirt off. When he submitted, walked to her and even growling and baring teeth laidback for her, let her tie him down, she knew what it all meant, he was a dominant male, he never let her ride him even as fun as he agreed it would be, but he was doing this, with no argument.

"You...are mine." She growled at him and he curled hi upper lip back from his sharp teeth, defiance, challenge in his fiery gaze.

"Yours." He agreed in a growl.

"I'm going to take you Zen, own you...use your body...take you, every inch of you, as mine." She purred, leaning over him, her lips barely brushing his as she spoke. A shudder passed through him, his breath hitched and she caught both of those things, and it thrilled her, empowered her, made her eyes narrow and a humming purr surge from her as she trailed her fingers down his hard muscled body, strolling slowly around the x-frame, touching whatever she wanted before reaching the controls for it and elevating the top of the frame some.

Once the x-frame was where she wanted it for the time being, she moved back to stand before him, eyes narrowed and on his.

"You are aware of why this is happening?" She asked firmly, even as she pulled her whip from her shoulder, swinging it slightly once more. When Zen simply nodded, her lips lifted in a silent snarl before her wrist flicked and sent the whip flying with a crack, the tip just barely catching the outside of his thigh. The answering hiss and shift as he fisted his hands had her smirking a bit coldly at him.

"I asked you a question Zen, silent answers will not be accepted, do you understand?"

Gulping hard against the shiver that raced over him at her tone of voice, Zen nodded again, answering quickly. "Yes Lucy."

Walking, no, _sauntering_ closer, her heels clicking loudly through the room, her hips rolling in a way that drew his eye like a moth to a flame, Lucy stopped barely a handspan away, lifting her free hand to grip his hair and draw his head to the side.

"There will be some rules, some guidelines for us. First off is tonight you will call me only by what I am to you, so when answering questions, or begging for something, you will use the word "mate" when addressing me. Second is the rules can change at any time, and I will be the only one to change them. I will let you know if that happens. Third is we'll keep this simple. Green is for being good to continue, yellow will be for needing a moment to breathe, or take a short break, and red is a hard stop. Any time I ask for a color, you tell me the color you're at, followed by mate. Do you understand?" Lucy breathed into his ear, her breath teasing him, goosebumps exploding across his skin.

"Yes mate, I understand." Zen answered with a whimper, biting his lip to keep from full on moaning. His defiance was fighting to surge forward, but his dragon, dear gods his dragon all but smothered that defiance as it rolled over the top of it, exposing its vulnerable underside to Lucy.

"Good." Taking a deep breath in attempt to reign in her own raging libido, Lucy stepped back, eyes on Zens lightly glowing ones. "Now, I have something planned, this will put our bond to use. If at any point you are unable to speak, pulse the bond in some way. Once will be green, twice for yellow, three for red. Understood?"

"Yes mate." Zen growled, shifting slightly against the frame. Being restrained, and seeing Lucy, his blonde haired goddess of a mate dressed in barely there white leather, along with her soft touches, already had him aching and hard, ready to sink deep into her. But he knew he couldn't. What she was doing was as much for her as it was for him, and he'd be damned if he was going to deny her that.

Stalking over to some drawers, she pulled one open to peruse the contents, pulling a couple of the items out. Turning back to him, she was quick to slip behind him, reaching around the frame to fix a strip of cloth over his eyes, dropping the other on the table at the side of them. When she had first been brought to this room, she had had Virgo come out to help with the set up before fetching Zen, and now there were a variety of tools on the table, allowing for Lucy to have a bit of variety while she claimed him. Quickly tying the first piece of cloth over his eyes, she stepped back, and with quick, nimble fingers undid the laces securing her boots, allowing her feet freedom, and the ability to move around on soft feet.

Easing herself back to his front, she eased forward, letting just her presence make him aware of where she was. She watched in fascination as his pulse fluttered rapidly in his throat, bit her lip as she heard his breathing become panting, and saw his nose flare as he took in her scent. The low rumbling growl that escaped him had her aching to press her thighs together and biting back a moan. She knew that he could smell her arousal, knew it was driving his own need higher. Wetting her lips carefully, she slowly raised one hand, and with the barest hint of hesitation, dampened the tip of her finger with her lips before tracing over her mark.

The growls that exploded from him, followed by his instinct driving him to arch towards her had her gasping, taking a quick couple of steps back. A single moan escaped her, causing him to snarl and strain harder to be closer to her. Breathing deeply, she squared her shoulders.

"Enough." She said firmly, calmly, not raising her voice at all. Immediately Zen stilled, falling limp against the frame, panting with teeth bared. "Listen to me very closely Zen. If you can get through this, get through what I will do to you, then the reward you receive will be worth every moment of this. Do you understand?"

Gritting his teeth, and gulping hard, Zen nodded once more, blind but he knew from her scent just where she was in the room. "Yes, mate, I understand. Please, do what you will with me, I'll behave." He panted, letting his head rest back against the frame.

"I'll be the judge of that my love." Lucy said firmly. Once more she edged close to him, going to the table next to him instead. Looking over the tools laid out, she let her fingers trail over each one before settling on the single feather that glowed white against the shine of the other tools. Turning back to him, with feather in hand, she startled trailing its softness over him, dipping it into the dips his muscle made, finding a ticklish spot high on his ribs that had him jerking in response even as he shifted restlessly against the frame. Hissing a breath in between gritted teeth, Zens head turned with Lucy as she moved around him, following her scent.

"Color love?" Lucy asked, pausing at his shoulder, letting her breath blow across his heated skin. She only quirked an eyebrow when she saw his mouth settle into a cocky smirk.

"Green, so very green, super green even." He answered with a purr, lips curling in a smug smile. "Is that all you've got my mate?" He challenged, licking, then biting his lip at her, his face turning until a mere few inches were separating them.

Narrowing her own gaze at him, baring her teeth at him when hearing the obvious amusement and challenge, she stepped back to the table. Running her gaze over the table once more, her eyes fell on a particular piece, and with a grin she picked it up. The cool metal was quick to warm under her touch, and after doing a quick test run along her own arm, she shivered. The blunt, yet still sharp points of this particular tool pricked at the skin in quick succession, and had goosebumps rippling over her flesh.

Smiling slightly, she knew the wartenberg wheel was one she might want to have used on her sometime. For now though, it would be used on Zen, and hopefully have him going nuts in no time. Turning back to him, tucking the tool against her arm, she double checked to make sure that the blindfold was still in place before running her gaze over him, trying to decide where to start. Looking down, she smirked, and with barely a touch, began running the wheel of the tool over the contours of his abs. The answering hiss and groan that escaped him had her giggling slightly, even as she moved it up over his pecs and then over his left shoulder.

After a few minutes of tracing various trails and patterns over him, Lucy stepped back to lightly drag her own nails over his skin, delighting in him shifting more insistently and a growl escaping him. With her whip still draped over her shoulder, she reached back to grab the soft leather flogger on the table, taking another few steps back for plenty of room.

"What color Zen?"

"Green, still very green mate." Zen growled out, rolling in such a way that had Lucy biting back a moan. He could smell her arousal saturating the room, and just barely heard the muffled moan. With a smirk he moved his body once more in a long wave, flexing his muscles. There was definitely no way of mistaking the moan that escaped her that time. Licking his lips, he couldn't help but goad her a bit.

"Come my mate, show me what you've got...I'll be good, I can take it..." The snap of her whip, followed by a sharp sting to his lower thigh had him snarling in desire at her.

"We'll see...if you're good, then I just, might, turn you loose on me...if you're good..." Lucy breathed. Seeing and hearing him suck in a growling breath, she had to rub her thighs together in an attempt to ease the growing ache.

She moved around him, snapping the leather across his hard muscled thighs, seeing faint red marks left behind and the flash of white glistening fangs as Zen bared his teeth and hissed through them. With her other hand she slid her whip around from behind him, pulling it tight over his neck then giving it a jerk so the whip snaked swiftly across his skin, not quite but almost burning. He growled, and she slid the whip across his pecs, right over his nipples and repeated the motion, this time he arched his back into it and she got a real moan out of him with a gasp.

She bit her lip, Gods watching his body respond was driving her half crazy. She was wanting him now badly and let that flow through the bond, let it add to his own blazing desire for her. His chest heaving deliciously, drops of sweat starting to show and she continued her assault on her mates tall body.

"Color Zen?" She asked. He was panting, head tilted back resting on the frame.

"Green...still deep green…" He breathed and Lucy moved back to the table, lifting the small pitcher with its hot contents. Zen stilled as she approached, he could smell what she was bringing and drew a breath with heady anticipation. Lucy climbed the frame then and straddled his hips.

"Now...I start tasting you.." she purred and he hissed when hot melted chocolate dripped onto his skin, almost too hot, hot enough it reddened the skin but didn't burn it, hot enough Lucy could languidly lick it away and then blew softly over the spot making Zen moan again. His chest got a lot of attention from her, she loved it, she was decidedly a chest and ass woman and Zen gave her both, mouthwatering sculpted hard as rock muscle for her to run her eager nails over.

Down his body steadily, Zens breath hitching with every drop from the pitcher, growls and soft rumbling purrs as pain married with pleasure. His abs, his navel, down the delicious ridge of the v leading to his hard erection.

With it she dribbled the hot chocolate on her thumb, gripped him and ran it over the tip making her dragon snarl and thrust involuntarily into her touch with a wanton moan.

"Fu...fuck…" he breathed out tensely and Lucy smiled.

"Color my mate?" She prompted and he was panting heavily, Lucys tongue running over small bits of sweat dampened skin eagerly.

"Ye...Green...it's still fucking green, I can take this…" He growled and she smirked, dripping the hot chocolate around the base of his shaft and he slammed his head back gasping, panting hard as her tongue followed those drops, licking them up his shaft then sucking the chocolate from his rigid flesh.

"Color?" She asked

"Yellow." Zen panted raggedly and Lucy grinned.

"Very well. We'll take a moment." With that she slid off of him, fighting to keep her own legs from trembling, her arousal pulsing heavily through her. Reaching over, she grabbed one of the many bottles of room temperature water, opening it easily with a twist of her wrist. Turning back to Zen, her gaze narrowed over his trembling, panting form, a languid smirk crossing her lips. "Are you thirsty for some water love?" She asked, her tone serious and firm. While she was all for punishing him, she didn't want to cause him anything but pleasurable pain. If he ended up being dehydrated, she wouldn't be enjoy him fully later.

"Y-yes...please mate..." Zens voice rasped, his tongue darting out to moisten slightly dry lips. Smirking slightly, she eased over to him, lifting the bottle to her own lips, making sure to get a good mouthful of the refreshing liquid before putting the bottle back down. Reaching up, she gently tapped his mouth, coaxing him to open his mouth. Once she had, she was quick to tilt his head with a firm hand and seal her own mouth over his, allowing the water to spill into his, a hint of the chocolate teasing his own taste buds. Hearing his moan as he reached with his tongue to tease her lips, she smiled, taking a quick step back.

"Do you need any more Zen?" She watched closely as he hesitated, as if debating if she meant actual need, or simply wanted to be able to taste her again. After a moment he shook his head, refusing the additional drink. "Alright then. What color?"

"G-green..." He answered, hissing when he felt her hand reach down to grip an ass cheek hard, nails digging in painfully.

"Green...what?" Lucy breathed against his ear. He could feel her warm, soft breast pressing against him, her toned torso and ever so long legs rubbing against him, and had to fight the urge to whimper.

"Gr-green...I'm green mate...please...more..." He was having trouble thinking clearly beyond the arousal that was pulsing heavily through him in time to his heart, and the smell of Lucy's arousal that hung heavy in the air. It was teasing him, tempting him like a seductress with a crooked finger calling him to her, and filled him to bursting with every breath he took. He knew in that moment that if he ever had to be away from her for any length of time, it would be torture, Gods what he'd done to her hit him again. He resolved then, firmly, if they had to be apart, and it would have to be a fucking good reason, he would do everything he could to get back to her as soon as possible, or take her with him if it would be for too long.

He could feel her dragging her nails over his skin, her breath fanning warm and soothing over those light scratches even as the rest of his skin exploded in shivers. He needed her, wanted her, she had become his every breath and knew that he would spend the rest of his life trying to make it up to her for being an idiot before.

"Oh, I'll give you more mate...now comes the real challenge...I'm going to take you, ride you, as hard or as long as I want, taking all the pleasure I can from you...but don't even think of trying to cum before I say that you can. Understand?" Lucy breathed, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Gulping, Zen was quick to nod with a slight whimper. "Y-yes, I understand mate, us me...take me...I'll obey." He agreed readily, shifting to grip the chains above his hands, he had a feeling he was going to need the stability.

Lucy bit her lip stepping back from the frame and removing her little soaked thong then poured chocolate into her mouth, savoring the rich flavor before climbing back onto the frame and bending over Zen. When she tapped his lips he parted them and she bent and plunged her tongue right into his mouth as her lips sealed over his as their tongues slide over each other and Zens moan made Lucys legs weak, she felt herself just soaked and aching for him and she was going to have him, have her utter fill.

Pulling back she smiled faintly when he leaned up to follow her, not wanting to loose the contact and he snarled in frustration when she pulled fully back. A bar came down when she flipped a switch on the side of the frame beneath Zens head and she drew a breath, taking a moment as she stood over him.

Gods his body was incredible, and all hers, and she was free to do all she wanted, he'd let her, had been true to his word so far and she narrowed her eyes, eager to see if he could hold out longer. Setting her feet on the padded footrests on either side of the frame she held the bar that now hung down above Zens head to stabilize herself, noting his hands gripping the chains aboce his wrists and smirking.

 _That's right big boy, you're going to need to hold on_ … she thought as she gripped his rigid shaft and slid down, she didn't let him enter her though, instead she slid him right between her soaked folds, biting her lip at how good it felt, at the gasp from Zen, how the muscles of his abdomen and thighs went taut as he struggled to stay still. She ground herself against his erection, soaking it and making herself moan as she undulated her hips and slid his length up and down over her flesh, pressed him right into her sensitive bundle of nerves and groaned.

"Nngh!" Zen was gritting his teeth, head slamming back against the frame, the shot of pain providing just enough clarity to maintain his grip on himself as Lucy used his already throbbing erection to toy with her soaked hot sex.

"Oh Zen...Oh Gods you feel good...does this feel good my mate?" She asked in a breathless moan that had him struggling to breathe.

"Yes...fuck yes...mate…" He breathed out.

She wanted to play more, tease him more, but she was so needy herself, and his muscles were bunching, going taut and releasing, as she played, and his heaving chest, the sight of sweat sliding down over smooth tan skin and black tattoos took her resolve away, mad her need him too much, she ripped the blindfold away so she could see his eyes, she loved those purple and gold eyes, then she lined him up with her entrance.

"Look at me Zen, I want you to watch me take you...own you." She demanded and his eyes opened, more gold than purple in his aroused state, his eyes slid down to where she was poised to take him and when they did, Lucy dropped down hard, taking him in hard and fast until their bodies met.

"Nnngh!...fu...fuck…" Zen hissed while Lucy moaned then she gripped the bar, braced her feet and started riding him.

His eyelids started to drop and she hissed. "Watch me Zen!"

Those gorgeous eyes snapped back up to her and he growled, body moving writhing beneath her as she found her rhythm. With her gripping the bar her breasts bounced freely before him and he was forced to keep his eyes locked on hers because watching her ride his length, watching those large breasts wiggle and bounce as she wantonly pleasured herself on his body would just end him and he'd been ordered to hold himself together, give her all the time she wanted before he let himself go to the pleasure she was building.

Lucy let her own eyes wander freely, drinking in her mates hard body tensing and moving to meet hers, watched a sharp fang dig into his lower lip and those gold and purple eyes narrow, another rumbling delicious growl coming out of him, reverberating through her. She could feel how hard he was working to control himself and was pleased he was obeying her.

So, trusting him, she let herself go, slamming down on him until she was driving his breath from him and he was moaning, whimpering, hips thrusting up to meet her, until she finally came with a long groan, grinding herself into him, letting her sex grip his length and spasm around him, making it do so harder with her movements until she heard the chains groaning, saw blood trickled from where he'd bitten into his lip while she rode out her orgasm on him.

When she was sure her legs would hold her, she flipped another switch and a bar swung down over Zens thighs, she looked at him, leaning down and pressing a long kiss to his lips, kissed along his jaw and nipped his ear.

"Color Zen?" She asked and his eyes narrowed.

"Green, green my mate…more...Gods please give me more..." He breathed and she hummed, coming back to his mouth, kissing him hard, forcing his mouth open so she could plunder it again and he met her tongue with his, growled into the fierce rough kiss.

She turned, facing his feet and gripped the bar and pushed herself up his body until her sex touched his chin and Zen groaned, the sweet scent of her drowning him he strained to press his mouth into her, ran his tongue eagerly through her soaked center and Lucy moaned, pushing back more until his mouth could latch onto her and he eagerly dove in, her lips tongue and teeth getting her going again, driving her need sky high in moments and she contemplated letting him take her over the edge again, Gods he was good with that mouth too, and she eagerly wrapped her lips around his hard member, sucking at it greedily, turned on a little by her own taste saturating him, while precum beaded and she lapped it from his tip before sucking him harder. She would give in to this, Gods it felt so good, but she had other plans, needed to completely take her mate, leave no doubt, anywhere in either of them who he belonged to.

She used the bar and drug herself back down his body, dragging her breasts over his throbbing cock, making it drag through her soaked center again sending shudders all through him and making him hiss. She sank onto him again, facing his feet and bending forward so he got a really good show as she started riding him again. The pained whimpers that occasionally escaped him had her smiling as she again let herself just go, wantonly using his body to pleasure herself all the way to another jarring orgasm.

Hearing Zen curse, feeling his whole body go rigid and his rasping gasps as her body gripped him, tried to milk and orgasm from him so he would fill it with his seed she smiled, sliding from his body, careful to grip the frame well so her wobbly legs didn't send her to the floor.

"Lu..mate...please…" Zen panted and she smiled, watching his body quivering, chest heaving, his need was immense now. Taking up the small remote from beside the frame she walked to the large round elevated bed and climbed onto it, kneeling in the center of it.

"You've done so well...I gotta say sexy, I sure as hell like riding that body...now….come here and give me all you've got...my mate…" She purred out and pressed the button on the remote. The bindings on Zens wrists and ankles slammed open and the big mage lunged from the x-frame with a snarl, Lucys eyes widened as those wings of his snapped out to propel him to her and he tackled her to the bed.

His kiss was fierce, his hands rough and greedy but Lucy loved it, moaning and pressing into him, eagerly spreading her legs when he moved over her and crying out in delight as he rammed into her, fully seating himself inside of her in one rough thrust.

Pure overdriven lust, that was what she had now from him and she loved it, let it consume her through their bond, let the immense need for him drown her and soak into every part of her body until all she knew was the pleasure of his body driving into and against hers. Her eyes glowed gold again, magic flaring inside both of them. He felt it, and so did she, magic coming right up through the island into them, into her.

"Galasfriel...you..are mine." Lucy breathed as her hand on his left hip lit and Zen threw his head back, body bucking into hers wildly, the power of it throwing her over the edge and her vision swam into a golden haze as she gripped his hip harder, holding him hard against her, buried deep within her, every part of his body went taut, every muscle tensed as he came, as burning pain shot through him from where Lucy gripped his hip, pain swirling with the pleasure of his release.

Golden magic swirled through and around them as it had the first time they had been together, when the had mated and his soul had been torn, part of it placed within her. Now he felt her, Celestial magic, the purest he'd ever felt, not laced with Dragon Magic like his, burning through him, into him for moments neither could move, bodies riding waves of pleasure and in Zens case pain until it finally began to ebb.

Both lay gasping in ragged breaths as Zen shifted his weight, drawing his arms up so he could take some of himself onto his forearms and Lucy could breathe easier, he nuzzled into her neck, his soft rumble making her smile as her hands slid down his back to grip his ass and made him chuckle.

"What...was that…" He breathed finally. Rolling from her to his side Lucy pulled her hand away from Zens hip, shifting to look down and her eyes widened, glowing softly on his hip was the constellation Andromeda. The stars perfectly placed, runes among them written in a celestial text she knew well, proclaiming love, eternal love. Zen shifted to his back and looked at it, pushing himself up on his elbows beneath her, pressing a kiss to her temple before his eyes went to the spot that had pumped so much pain through him.

"The constellation Andromeda…" he said softly, then looked at her, met her wide eyes. "You called me Galasfriel…" He said quietly. One of his hands came up to slide over her face, cup her cheek and bring her lips to his.

"I...the island.." She breathed and Zen smiled.

"Its magic went into you, I felt it...you used it to do this…" He said, nodding toward the mark on his hip. She hugged him then, kissing him again.

"Mine...you're all mine…" She said smiling.

He couldn't resist that smile, kissing her back. "I always have been Lucy...always will be…"

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Another morning led into another wonderful breakfast, Lucy smiling over at Zen, gripping his thigh under the table, trying to get her hand up higher and him grabbing her hand and giving her a sharp look that had nothing but amusement in it in spite of his best efforts.

"So what are the plans for today?" Arman asked, smiling at his children. He was thoroughly enjoying this, Lucy made his son so very happy, and it was clear Zen did the same for her.

He'd never seen Farron smile as much as he did since Wendy had claimed him, all of his children were doing so well.

"I'm going to take Lucy to Angeal Reata...to the house." Zen announced and Arman smiled. He'd expected Zen would be doing that soon, had gotten the house readied when Zen had let him know he and Lucy were on their way, it was now staffed, dust covers pulled from all the furniture, cleaned from top to bottom and well stocked to accommodate its owner and his mate.

"There are new flowers…" Arman smiled.

Lucys eyes widened, her breath stalling. One of the things she had found fascinating and so amazingly romantic about the islands and the royal family was their flowers, associated with those bound to the island. How Levy had inspired orange lillies on Anam, Gajeel Black Roses. She had seen the bright pink flowers Wendy had added to Archipelago, the same color as her eyes when she was in Dragon Force.

She had loved the purple and gold roses of Angeal Reata, that she knew now reflected Zen himself, his mesmerizing eyes. Was Angeal Reata already accepting her?!

Zen was willing to fly them, and Lucy meant to have him carry her around some that way, because it was thrilling, but she happened to very much be enjoying walking with him, hand in hand, stealing a few kisses while they waited for the train and then cuddling against him as they rode to the island.

"I...I always wanted to do this...I used to dream about being with someone, just the simple things we would do together…" She admitted and Zen tightened his arms around her nuzzling into her neck.

"I'm loving every minute." He told her and she grinned.

When they stepped off the train at Angeal Reata they were warmly greeted. "Prince Zen, I am Killian, the caretaker assigned to your home here, I can call a carriage to take you and your fiance to the estate if you need." A short older man with bright blue eyes offered.

"No, not today thank you, we're going to walk and enjoy the island today." Zen replied and the man grinned, bowing.

"Very well your highness, please contact me if you need anything at all, I am at your service." He offered. Zen took Lucys hand and she fell in beside him heading for the gardens, for a specific place in the gardens too.

When they reached the gate Zen bent and gave hushed orders to the head gardener who smiled knowingly at his prince.

"Everyone out...his majesty and his fiance wish to have the gardens to themselves!" He called and Zen held a blushing Lucy beside him as the gardeners all filtered out and past them, smiling at them as they went.

Grinning, Zen pulled her through the gates and closed them, waving a hand over them and she heard them lock, saw a flash of gold travel through the fence out of sight. He turned and smirked at her. "Sealed...nobody can come in until we're done." He said in a low voice that made her squirm, heat flooding her viens but he took her hand and led her down the path through the hedges and into the main garden, straight to his fountain.

She pulled her hand from his, eyes widening as she finally saw them, intermixed with the deep purple roses with gold edged petals were vivid roses of pure gold, several hues of it glittered in each petal, like Lucys hair. She reached out, running her finger over a velvety flower in reverence...the island had already claimed her, accepted her as part of it and part of Zen.

"They're almost as beautiful as you." Zen said softly behind her and she spun, lunging into his arms,kissing him hungrily. He growled as she bit his lower lip, lifting her from her feet and she wrapped her legs around him, her arms circling his neck, fingers burying in his hair.

"On the fountain...please…" she begged and he carried her to it, set her on the edge and she frantically was yanking at the hem of his shirt. He pulled it off over his head and tossed it to the grass impatiently while she yanked open the front of his shorts and he pulled her halter top open, pushing her bra down and tipping his head so his lips sealed over the already firm peak of a breast.

Lucy gasped, trying to stay focused on getting into his shorts, finally getting the button and zipper out of the way and shoving them down, she'd loved they were a little snug until now. But she got them far enough down his hard erection came free into her hand and she wrapped her fingers around him eagerly making him hiss and growl at her, thrills traveling through her body at the sound.

She wanted this so bad, she'd dreamed of it so many times. "Wings.." she gasped as his hand slid between her legs, teasing her already drenched center.

He shrugged his shoulders, the long black wings unfolding and shading them from the sun, stirring the air gently around them as his mouth plundered her chest, collar, neck and finally her lips, his hips jerking forward thrusting him into her hand reflexively as she stroked his length.

"Lucy…" He groaned out as she rubbed herself against him, his hands gripped her rear, fingers digging into the firm cheeks.

"Zen...I need this...I need you…" She panted, guiding the head of him to her entrance and trying to press herself into him but he growled, pulling back a little, ignoring her whimper then thrusting forward while he pulled her into him, burying himself inside of her in one swift bone jarring thrust that stole her breath in a rush, had her gasping it back in when he repeated it.

She grasped at his shoulders, finally switching to gripping his waist, tilting her head back and driving herself against him for all she was worth, it was rough, hard, powerful and exactly what she wanted, needed, living out her dreams with the man who had been in them for so long.

Zen pulled her closer to the edge and she arched her back into him, her breasts sliding against his bare chest, the sensation making him snarl and lunge in to scrape sharp teeth over her shoulder.

"My mate…" he growled and Lucy felt it all, his love, their bond, deeper than ever, his lips sealed to the silken skin of her neck as he drove into her body hungrily. He didn't waste time, they were out in the open under the bright sun, and airships flew over this area sometimes so he drove into her relentlessly and Lucy gripped his shoulders, leaning back and letting him drive her to her end swiftly, crying out as she felt him come with her, heated seed filling her.

Zen sagged, pulling Lucy with him he fell back from the fountain to his back his wings cushioning the fall. They lay panting, chests heaving for several minutes until she pushed into him, kissing him hard, hands grasping his face and holding him so she could just ravish his mouth and he moaned, letting her, falling back to the grass while she moved over him.

"You're mine." She growled at him and he smiled, accepting her harsh kisses with no resistance.

"Completely…" He breathed.

She straddled him then, grasping his hardening member and sinking herself down on it as he stretched his head back.

"Lucy...sweet Gods…" He groaned. His fingers slid up her thighs and she smiled bracing herself against his hard abs and riding his length up and down lustily, swirling her hips and grinding into him as she came down.

Zen gripped her thighs, baring his teeth as she took him, his dragon wasn't entirely pleased about their position, but his mates deep pleasure kept it mostly quiet, allowing him to enjoy it. After a few minutes though Lucy was gritting her teeth, she couldn't get him deep enough, couldn't bring him into her hard enough to bring herself to her end or force him to his, she didn't have enough leverage.

Feeling her falter Zen pulled her down against his chest and moved, keeping himself inside of her he sat up and folded his legs under himself, his wings snapped out, moving, making him thrust into her before they folded around the couple and Lucy reached past Zens shoulders, gripping the base of his wings and smirked...leverage.

Zen gasped, head flying back as she thrust against him, ground their hips together and he growled, lunging in and nipping her earlobe, hands on her hips, driving hard into her and making her mewl.

"Gods...I'll never...get...enough of you!" He gasped out as he pumped into her rapidly, watched her ample breasts bounce as they slammed against each other.

"More!...ah!...Zen!" She cried and he griped her hard enough to leave bruises, slamming into her harder until finally she came. "Zen!" she screamed out and he was ripped over the edge with her, groaning out her name as he released, his length pulsing inside of her spasming channel until they collapsed again to the soft grass.

"I love you Lucy…" He breathed, stroking her hair, laying on his side beside her pulling her firmly against him. Her eyes widened...two weeks, they had been together for two weeks...but looking at him...into those deep sunset colored eyes…

"I love you too…" She smiled, and meant it, with all she was she meant it.


	6. Chapter 6

So a little bit of a shorter chapter, but still some drama, and working on the next chapter already, so hopefully will be getting updated again soon. Please remember to read and review, and as always, Desna is part of what has brought this chapter around, so many thanks to her creative mind.

* * *

Wendys eyes fluttered open and she smiled, warmth flooding her body like it did every single time she woke beside her mate. Farron was stretched out beside her, mahogany hair partially over his brow, an arm around her keeping her tucked up against him. Her hand slid a little, resting on his stomach she pushed it over to his hip forcing the blankets down and smiling more.

Gods she loved his body, she'd felt bad about that at first, because lusting after his body like she was for quite a while...still did honestly, before she'd even really known him seemed wrong. But he'd convinced her otherwise, he was gentle, kind, amazingly observant and so very experienced and patient for their first couple of weeks together while she had learned her way around his tall body, and they had gotten to know each other.

She'd found he wasn't incapable of being hard though, when the Baroness from before had tried to intercept them while they had been taking a walk on the grounds. The woman had waited until Wendy, smelling her, had stepped away from Farron and the moment she had stepped around the hedge the woman had grabbed her arm and yanked her around.

"You little whore! You and your seduction of the Prince has cost me dearly!" She hissed. "How fast did you get in his pants huh?! I don't know how you got off the balcony but one of my daughters found his shredded suit jacket and shirt out by the horses! What, did you drag him out there away from everyone and fuck him in the dirt?! What spells did you put on him?! How did you force him to let you put that damned mark into his neck?!" She'd seethed and Wendy had been too shocked to react at first.

Farron though had been quick to get to her and the Baroness had shrieked when he'd grabbed her wrist and ripped her hand from Wendys arm.

"You would dare, on the palace grounds?! Attack the Crown Princess of this kingdom? Baroness, my WIFE did not seduce me, she didn't force herself on me and I begged her to put her mark into me do you understand?!" He snarled, his eyes burning, full of rage.

The Baroness had glared at him. "I don't believe it, you were interested in me, in my daughters, and somehow, somebody put something into the wine you were all drinking the night of the Coronations! There was magic at work when this little brat was taking you, that magic negated the birth control I and my daughters take! It made us...unable to resist the seductions of some men I know...men I would never EVER dream of having sex with! But that night not just me but all of my daughters and those three men….we're pregnant! All of us! Even ME!" She shrieked and lunged for Wendy. Farron caught her though and shoved her back hard so she fell to the ground but the woman scrambled right back to her feet snarling.

"We're pregnant with the children of commoners! Common merchants! Something was in that damned wine, it had to be the wine I just know it was! Something in it made it so pregnancy termination drugs wouldn't work! Now we're too far along to legally end them! I am from Stella! If I birth a mans child I must marry him!" She cried.

Farrons pale blue eyes narrowed on her. "They won't consent?" He asked.

"That's not the point! Of course they want to marry us! The father will marry me and his sons will take my daughters but they're commoners! I want YOU! You or your younger brother! Tell me where Prince Zen is your majesty! I can find him, convince him to take us since you can not...thanks to HER." She snarled, glaring at Wendy.

"Baroness, where my family members are is absolutely none of your business, my brother Zen already has an intended anyway, he's a Dragon Slayer, he has a mate so get that idea out of your damn head right now, I won't allow you to even consider harassing him like you have me. Now, I've had more than enough of you and your daughters, I've been patient and you mistook my patience for interest, I never, not once, even considered you or your daughters Baroness, I told you I wasn't interested and meant it. Now, leave, leave Archipelago and never return, you are no longer welcome, you or your daughters, if I hear of you coming to any of the islands of this nation I will see you stripped of your title, lands and hanged for your crimes against the crown that now include assaulting the Crown Princess." He said.

The Baroness blinked at him, disbelief clear on her face.

"I'm not kidding, you leave, NOW, if you're not on the airship that leaves in less than an hour, I'll just go ahead and consider your lack of action defiance and have you and your damned daughters hanged." He snarled. Guards had come, Farron had sent the conversation via his magic straight to them and they arrived with guns trained on the Baroness who blanched.

"No...no! Please your highness, reconsider! Please! You could take us as concubines, even maids!" She cried. Farron nodded to the guards who took the woman and dragged her away, his magic cutting off her pleas and screams as he'd turned back to Wendy.

"She's...insane…" Wendy breathed and Farron smiled.

"Yes I think she is in a way, you're alright?" He asked and Wendy had smiled up at him, she could have laid waste to the woman, a flick of her arm a bit of her magic and the woman would have been dead, of course, Farron was no less capable of that himself, but she'd let him handle the situation, shocked and really uncertain what to do.

She felt bad for the woman, worse for the children she and her daughters would be mothers of, for the men they would marry.

She'd gotten a glimpse of Farrons temper though.

He was so good to her, had her flowers all through their rooms, looking down she saw some of the pink Dahlia flowers that had appeared after she and Farron had mated. Her eyes went back to the man before her though, and she slid over him, pushing the blankets away, her lips closing on the deep black mark on his neck, he tensed instantly, a moan rolling out of him, his hands snapping up to tangle in her hair.

"Wen...Wendy!" He gasped as she slid a hand down his body to grip him as he rapidly hardened for her, for her tongue playing over the mark.

"Farron…" she purred and he groaned at the sound, it drove him mad that purr of hers. He writhed beneath her continuing onslaught, hips lifting seeking her warmth, it was near impossible to think at all as long as her lips remained sealed over that mark.

Willpower, thought, the ability to do anything but react was difficult to grasp. Still he managed to pull her back, barely lifting her mouth from the mark before lunging forward and flipping her to her back, pinning her beneath him, his mouth catching hers, one hand closing over her breast, the other immediately teasing her, his fingers at play making her writhe, whimper and mewl.

"Wicked woman...Gods above I love you…" He purred at her and she moaned, she loved it when he said it, he said it often too, it had taken a month before it started coming from his lips while they had been in bed, once it did though, her own declarations having come the first week they were together, he'd promised her back then he would love her, in time he'd love her with all he was, and he'd been honest about that.

They made love, loud, a bit wild, she'd teased him and he liked to tease her back, get her dragon riled, the scratches from her nails, even the occasional bites she'd give him he wore proudly. She lay panting in his arms, smiling, her hands still prone to wandering he never minded. His own hands squeezing her rear until she squirmed and laughed.

"Mmm, what has you up so early love? We didn't exactly go to sleep early…" He smirked and she blushed "I just woke up...I'm happy Lucy is here, and she looks so happy now, so does your brother...do you think they'll have a full wedding? I hope they have it here if they do!" She said brightly. Farron smiled, he adored Wendy, loved her enthusiasm, her huge heart, her curiosity, everything, every single thing about her.

"Dad wants them to, they went over to Angeal Reata and he's supposed to meet them for lunch today over there. I think he's planning to try and talk them into a formal wedding here." He said, sliding his hand in her hair, guiding her lips to his for a slow warm kiss.

Wendy grinned. "Good, so I woke up happy...and you were just laying here...looking all...handsome and tempting…" she smirked, tracing a finger over the eagle on his chest.

"I'm glad...I like tempting you...maybe I can tempt you some more in the bath…" he mumbled, having dragged her up his body so her breast was over his mouth and then licked it before closing his mouth on it.

She gasped and giggled at the same time, wriggling from his grasp and jumping from the bed. Farron growled, lunging after her but missing. They had an impromptu game of cat and mouse that ended in the bath, Wendy trying to retreat into the steaming waters to slow him down but his long legs and reach finally won out and he pinned her against the back wall. When she wrapped her legs around his hips all but her rear came out of the water, Farron was so tall. He held her hands against the wall and she was soon gasping as he plunged into her again, fucked her against the wall lustily, the water splashing with his movements, their wet bodies sliding wonderfully together until Wendy came, gasping out his name and he bit her shoulder as he shuddered and followed her over the edge.

She was fully free of birthcontrol now too, and she knew that was part of why she was insatiable now, needed him every day several times a day and every night. Farron eagerly met her needs too, even when it had meant hiding in a storage room off the main dining hall during a formal dinner his father had held one night.

He sank back into the water now, holding her against him, kissing her face, her lips, nipping at her chin and making her giggle. They took a slow bath, stayed and played in the water until her fingers were wrinkled.

"I want to get some more flowers." She said, climbing the steps out of the bath. Farron sighed.

"But the water is so nice...come back and soak some more…" He whined at her and she laughed.

"You soak, I'm just going to go down to the garden, I'll have breakfast...well...brunch now...brought up." She chuckled and he smiled at her.

"You're an angel." He breathed. She grinned.

"Nope, a Dragoness in love with her mate, I'll be right back…" She promised blowing him a kiss before dancing out of the bathroom leaving him chuckling at her antics.

She didn't even see what hit her, crumpling into thickly muscled, heavily tattooed arms. When she went down though, Farron heard the strike, felt powerfully through the bond they had her instant lack of consciousness and was moving fast for the steps from the bath but before he could reach them a tall elegant, familiar woman stepped into the doorway and he froze, his eyes narrowed dangerously, magic immediately building.

"You...Lula...what have you done?!" He demanded. Lula grinned, laughing, flipping her long black hair over her shoulder, eyes raking over farron, lingering low on his body and she licked her lips.

"Oh...nothing...nothing at all compared to what I'm going to do...you really, truly, are an exquisite man…" She purred.

Farron was about to strike when a tall bald man stepped out, a long curved blade across Wendys throat, his precious wife hanging limp and naked in the mans arms.

"Not today your highness, Lula…" He snapped and her hand shot out and Farron screamed as a crackling lightning lacrima fell into the water with him. He lasted moments, stronger than either of the invading mages had thought he was, and a pulse of his magic shot out from him before he went down. Two men rushed from behind the bald man, Lula deactivating the lacrima with a small button in her hand so they could retrieve the Prince before he drowned.

"Alright, lets get them to the new spot, NOW, I'm betting that magic he got out warned somebody and if his brother heard it…" Lula said sharply. A moment before Zen crashed through the window to Farrons bedroom, long black wings sweeping back, his feet hitting the rugs and skidding him to a stop, flaming sword in his hand, the members of nightmare, with Wendy and Farron in their arms, hit teleportation lacrimas and vanished.

Zen stood, senses flared, he could smell his brother, Wendy, what they had been up to all morning that had kept them from breakfast. The pulse of Farrons magic had hit the Island and shaken him, Lucy and his father to the bone. Before his father was even out of his chair Zens wings were out and he leaped through a window, shooting into the sky and rocketing up to Farrons level of the palace in seconds to smash through his bedroom window.

He smelled something off...growling, lip curling back from his fangs he stalked to the bathroom and could smell ozone, blood...Farrons...not much of it but some, and a weird bland tint to the scents of the room. Narrowing his eyes he summoned his dogs. The hounds appeared in a flash of gold and their eyes narrowed, hackles going up immediately.

Zen had mastered communicating with them while still in the celestial realm, didn't need to speak to put them to task and the two dogs padded around swiftly sniffing, relaying all they were picking up to the dogs it was all growls and gruff sounds he knew the language of. Few mages ever had been able to master the hounds of the Hunt for this reason, but Zens Dragon Slaying magic, the languages Draco had taught him included the ability to speak to and understand the hounds.

Their heads snapped up as Arman and Lucy arrived, slamming the door open.

"They aren't here...but they were...someone else was in here, there's scent dampening magic meant to stop a Dragon Slayer from picking up scents…" He waved toward the hounds. "It doesn't work as well on them though, mages...4 of them were in here...there's a dead lightning lacrima in the bath water and some of Farrons blood…" He said darkly. Arman whirled, flipping up a picture on the wall and hitting a switch, alarms went off.

He pulled out his com lacrima while Lucy pressed into Zens arms, eyes wide with worry, tears making them bright….

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

Farron came to with a sudden jolt, he tried to open his eyes but found them covered and when he tried to move, his aching body protested almost before he hit the manacles on his wrists and ankles. His magic was bound, suppressed, that told him a lot about what was holding him down, he tightened muscles, ignoring the pain as he strained them, testing the strength of his binds.

"Those would hold a vulcan highness, you're not getting out of them." A humor filled voice told him.

"You believe that, fine." He replied, voice calm, smooth, but he had to force it to be. He couldn't feel Wendy, the other end of their bond was empty, reaching through it he put all he was, his deepest soul into the reach and came back sensing she wasn't conscious, distance he was unsure of, but wherever she was, she wasn't dead...he had a feeling if she were, he'd know that, and be on his way to joining her….he was certain he'd want nothing else but death without her at his side too.

"I love your confidence, very regal, it won't last though. You pissed off the wrong people." The voice chuckled.

"That so?" Farron asked blandly as if he couldn't have cared less.

"Oh yeah, the big boss themself wants a piece of you before we put you back, hell...I want a piece of you...not as pretty as your brother...I like blonde hair...now Kaleb...oh fuck he was nice…" The voice purred and Farron felt a hand on his leg, sliding up his thigh. He was naked, knew he was, he was even still wet from the bath he'd been in when he'd been attacked. There were burns all over him from the lacrima that had been thrown into the water with him, that explained why his muscles all ached, his whole body had unnaturally seized under that electricity.

He recoiled at the mans words, inwardly only, he remained still, this man...he'd been the one that had hurt Kaleb...fury boiled in him, a deep need to inflict pain, his magic surged but was dampened before he could touch it.

"Yeah, that big blonde brother of yours? So so sweet, skin tasted like...apples...nice, nice body, must work out more than you, you're not as built up, but I gotta say, you're a hell of alot better built than I would have thought...nice six pack on ya, and you're sure hung about as nice as your brother too...wonder if you make the same noises when you're fucked? We watched you fuck the Princess in the bath, the bed...you too were at it a lot this morning, surprising because you were fucking half the night too, good stamina I gotta say, I really liked when you had her in your lap on the edge of the bed...nice technique there...she makes nice noises too." The mans hand was stroking him now, fondling him and Farron grit his teeth, disgust rolling through him and alarm at the mention of Wendy.

They had watched him and Wendy...had been planning this...of course they had, they had done it to every member of his family, This had to be Nightmare, had to be the people who had been attacking and bleeding his family and their spouses.

"You won't hurt her…" he said in a low deadly tone.

The man laughed. "Oh now that's not up to me, I just work here highness, if the Boss says jump I don't even ask how high I just do it, boss says fuck the hell outa your pretty little mate? Well...I sorta prefer...your nice ass, but I'll do it. I'm sorta holding on to my special requests see, when we get that sexy winged brother of yours. I'll beg a little to get a chance at tapping that, but I still really, badly, want another piece of that blonde brother of yours...yeah...once wasn't enough...I really shoulda just kept fucking him till I got my fill but schedules ya know? I had business elsewhere." He said.

"Rottbull...I know who you are, why bother blinding me?" Farron asked mildly, keeping his voice smooth and calm, refusing to let the man see him get the least bit upset, no reaction...he would not react. He'd already cut himself off from his body, getting repulsed was reaction, and this man fed on reactions.

"Oh not for my sake, I don't give a shit if you see me, I'd kinda like to see your eyes while the boss does whatever they plan to do, it's for the boss, they're shy ya know?" He chuckled, massaging the inside of Farrons thigh.

"I see, but they aren't here yet I suppose, so why keep me blindfolded?" He asked. He felt it then, and he almost gasped with relief, almost showed a reaction, he felt Wendy, she was ok...instantly scared, but alive...not in pain...just scared and, he smiled inwardly, becoming angry.

"Who said I wasn't present?" The voice was distorted, he would have given anything to have his magic right then because the spells to distort a voice didn't work against him and his magic.

"Rottbull, go bleed the child, nothing but the draw for now." The voice said. "Poor choice in wives your highness, a grown man like you really should have taken a proper woman."

"She's all I need. The decisions really were made when we were born anyway, Dragon Slayer mates are born to be theirs, it's really quite fascinating." He said. "I'm her ideal, whatever she wanted, I am, everything I've ever wanted...she is...it's very efficient."

"Ridiculous drabble, I believe we make our own fate. See, I've rather fancied having myself a prince and now here you are, it's really perfect, fate had nothing at all to do with it, you are here because I had you brought, and now...I will have what I came for." The voice said and Farron hissed a breath in when a thick needle was pushed into his neck.

"You have your brother to thank for this toxin, or really, his mate for only partially claiming him before we got our hands on him, gave us the chance to perfect this. The fact you're a Dragon Slayers mate...won't stop me from enjoying you." They sneered and Farron grit his teeth as he felt whatever it was burning into his veins, he rapidly started struggling to think.

He barely registered the hands running up his legs, he did feel the one move between his legs though, felt it working on his cock, and alarm surged through him, though it was rapidly drowned in the icy fog taking over his whole being, when he started to harden in that hand. His body wasn't supposed to react to anyone but Wendy, he was a fully claimed Dragon Slayer mate.

"No.." He groaned no longer worrying about not reacting. He felt Wendy becoming frantic on the other end, she knew, felt, what was happening to him and was enraged, desperately fighting to get to him.

He didn't want her to hurt herself, didn't want her in pain, he couldn't even struggle now though, his body wasn't listening to him, it was just reacting.

"Now...highness...I take what is mine." The voice said and heat enveloped him, tight and hot and he tensed.

"No!..No.." he snarled but his breath was driven out of him as he was just...taken.

He couldn't stop the weak groans that occasionally spilled out, he bit back all he could, his body writhed, it was a womans body, he'd been with men and women both, he knew the difference, he was inside a woman.

"The Lord master of Nightmare is fucking you Pince Farron, make some nice noises for me, don't be shy." The voice demanded and he was struck, his head snapping to the side. He bit back reaction, focusing entirely on denying them the sounds they wanted. His muddled thoughts, the heavy fog in his head was terrible to fight but he focused, gathered every wit he could grasp and held it tight focused fully on refusing this woman what she wanted.

Whatever she'd injected into him made his body react, but the rest of him sure as fuck wouldn't.

"Moan for me! You've never had a woman as fine as me!" They snarled, something was plunged into his arm, sharp and long and thick and he bit back even a cry of pain.

"You feel so good...if I can get nothing from you but my own pleasure...fine…" She said and rode him hard, it took way too long for her to finally reach her end, and she randomly struck him, twisted whatever was in his arm so she could wrench reactions out of him using pain.

She got off of him when she was finished, and then he was flipped over, forced to his feet, arms drawn over his head. "Make him suffer...don't kill him though, I want him to see what we do. Break him if you can, keep the girl awake, bring her in here, now." She demanded. Farron felt Wendy come closer and inside he screamed against it, not wanting her to see him like this.

"No! Farron! What did you do to him!? NO! Let him go!" She snarled and he heard her fighting her restraints.

There was a resounding slap. "Shut up child, you see your precious mate? You will watch while he pays for you claiming him, because if you hadn't, this would not be happening to him. Understand? If not for you, we would have taken his blood and left him relatively unharmed but because you took him for yourself little girl, he will suffer. Gag her." More struggling, and he felt through their bond Wendys heart just breaking and it almost broke him, but he held on to himself.

One of them had to be strong, he was fine with it being him, if she saw him break it would end her, end them both, and he wouldn't let that happen, Nightmare wasn't going to kill them, so they could recover from this, they would recover. He kept telling himself that and had to turn his focus to endurance quickly.

The whip he endured pretty well, all of the beatings he handled, Rottbull though...he almost cracked Farrons steeled will, feeling Wendys horror watching Rottbull take him, her guilt, her heartbreaking misery, it made enduring what Rottbull did so much worse. He'd been with men before, his heritage was such that wasn't anything significant, pleasure was pleasure, and Rottbulls body wasn't exceptional, the things he said were repulsive, his narrative was horrid, telling Wendy every detail of how it felt to fuck her mate. He came, took Farron twice more.

"Gotta make sure I get you out of my system ya know?" He'd grunted as he'd finished the third time.

Bleeding, drugged to the point he could barely thread his thoughts together, Farron hung limp in the chains, head hanging when they left. He held onto himself, reaching through to Wendy pouring all the reassurance he could muster into her.

"I..It's...ok... love...we will...recover...they didn't...break us…" He whispered hoarsely through bleeding lips, blood running from his mouth.

Wendys gagged sobbing and an explosion the last thing he heard before he finally slipped out of consciousness.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

It had taken almost 7 hours for a team of teleportation mages to trace the last teleports when Levy was taken. It took Zen less than 2.

Arman glared at the lacrima in his hand, Lucy looking at him worried and he waved a hand. "Princess Kurino, of all the times, is passing the islands on her way to Minstrel and caught the alarms going off, she wants to "Help" as if I would let her within our airspace now of all times.." He sneered, informing his captain of the guards not to let her ship anywhere near their airspace.

Zen narrowed his eyes then and Aquilla and Pyxis both snapped their heads up. "Got it, found where it went...fuck teleportation Lacrimas are fucking hard to trace, they went to two different places, but one is close, within the barrier reefs in an underground cave...I'm opening a gate...Lucy!" He held his hand out and Lucy ran to him, Arman right with her, Draco at his side.

"I will fight for my children." Arman told Zen when he got a questioning look. Zen didn't blink, lifting his hand and a gate opened in front of them. Lifting his sword, Zen stepped through it first, Draco, the hounds, Aquilla, Lucy and Arman following him.

When they emerged it was just in time to watch a tall bald man look up, spot them, curse and hit something on his waist, vanishing. Zen snarled, smelling Farrons blood heavy in the air, and other...foul things he didn't want to think about. He cut through the first mages like they were water, long wings slicing through bodies while the flaming sword caught any that managed to get past his wings. Draco was right beside him and the hounds rushed forward, tearing through anyone they found.

The mages vanished swiftly though, hitting lacrima on their hips if they had them, dying to Zen and Draco if they didn't. They found the chamber off the main one, Nightmare had taken time with this place, had built rooms in the cavern….it was obvious they had been there a while.

Zen kicked down a door and rushed through it, stopping at what he found, horrified. Wendy was bound naked to an x-frame, gagged and sobbing. Farron hung unconscious from chains, manacles on his wrists and ankles, blood and other things running down his was covered in lash marks,bruises and cuts.

"Fuck…" Zen breathed, Lucy came in with Draco and Arman and gasped in horror, she ran to Wendy, starting to work to free her while Zen went to Farron with Draco and Arman, Zens hands lit up, glowing brilliant gold he pushed his magic into his brother as his father, biting back tears ripped the needles from Farrons neck and arm and Dracon broke the manacles off of him before turning to do the same for Wendy.

Scrambling, stumbling, Wendy fell to her knees beside Farron, tears streaming down her face her hands still lit with soft green magic that she pushed into his body, joining Zen in the work of healing him.

"Wendy...Wendy your arm…" Arman stroked the young womans hair and she shook her head, tears streaming down her face as she looked over the burns, bruises, cuts that littered Farrons body, the same one just hours ago she was admiring, loving.

"...you will watch while he pays for you claiming him…" the woman in the mask had said. Wendy had no idea who was under the hideous jawless skull mask she had faced, it was a woman, that was all she knew, and she only knew that because she had felt the woman take Farron like only a woman could. Farron had paid...paid dearly, what that man had done...they had beaten him to near unconsciousness, whipped him, broken ribs, a collapsed lung, both shoulders dislocated while they had done it, them, with him already hurting, bleeding heavily, the man had…

When he'd finished he'd stood back and his whole front was red with Farrons blood, she'd watching him licking at the wounds the whip had laid open while he'd taken her mate, he'd told her how good Farrons blood tasted.

She would kill him, she would see that man dead, the woman too, both had to die, her dragon was bent on that, but right now, even her dragon was whimpering within her as she helped Zen heal her mates horribly abused body.

She was deeply relieved feeling Zens magic cleansing what her's could not. She still hadn't learned full purification magic, Cristoff was going to teach her but then she had mated with Farron and needed to stay in Archipelago. He was to return for a long vacation with Natsu, and they were going to go over those spells then, but she didn't know them yet so she could only sit back and watch Zen handle it, grateful he could even though her dragon seethed at being unable to fully take charge of healing her mate.

She was guilt ridden, the Nightmare Guildmasters words endlessly echoing through her that if she had not claimed Farron he wouldn't have been put through this.

"Wendy...your arm...Zen?" Arman looked at his son when his daughter in-law refused to heal the bleeding hole in her arm. Zen looked up, glanced at Lucy who shrugged and reached out a hand, touching Wendys arm, his magic flowing into her.

The effect it usually had didn't trigger like it normally did, instead it worked like it did for men, Wendy sagging slightly, relaxed by the magics touch as it flowed through her, purging her of the sedatives they had injected her with and healing the injury to her arm, the bruises and skin tears from her struggles on her wrists and ankles caused by the manacles. He pulled his hand back and Draco moved in, lifting Farron as if he weighed nothing.

"Get us back Zen, to Farrons rooms if you can, then I want you to take guardsmen and White Sea mages into this place and gut it, learn all you can, see if there are any of those teleportation lacrimas they used left and fucking follow them...bring me prisoners, my son…." Arman said darkly. Zen stood, watching his father remove his own shirt and wrap it around Wendy before scooping her up in his arms. Holding out his hand he opened a gate to Farrons room, took Lucys hand and stepped through it.

While Draco and Lucy saw to settling Wendy and Farron, Arman went with Zen and assembled the people he wanted, the same mages who had helped recover Levy, including Beck, who was still on the islands, the big Beast Master nodding darkly as the orders were given then Zen opened a gateway and he and 15 White Sea mages and 20 Guardsmen stepped through it while Arman returned to the palace through a different gate Zen opened for him.

Gates had been something Zens magic alone was capable of, Draco and the Spirit King both had been amazed by it and deduced the ability came from the combination of the Archangel magic, that was so far reaching, so in tuned with all the heavens and realms, and the celestial magic the two combined through Zen to allow him to open stable gates at will, create the magic pathways that any number of people could pass over as long as he held them open.

Teleportation was limited, even specialists in the magic could only manage a few people and had to be touching them. Cristoffs Lunar Shift had been the largest known, Cristoff able to pull as many as 20 people through with him in a shift as long as he travelled under moonlight.

Zens gates worked far better, and weren't a large drain on him, they cost the same to open if just he passed through them as they did if a hundred people went through.

Lucy had slid her arms around him before he left, leaning up for a long hard kiss, holding him fast, her eyes hard and desperate. "Don't you dare even think of being gone for long...if you have to go anywhere but that cavern…" She was cut off by him pressing their lips back together.

"I'll come back here first, back to you, I promise." He said softly against her lips and she nodded, uncurling her fingers from his shirt and looking into those eyes, she loved his eyes so much.

"I love you." She whispered and he leaned in,kissing her again.

"I love you too." He whispered back. Both desperately feeling the need to be close, to touch, to affirm their own bond in the face of what had just happened to Wendy and Farron.

"They haven't gotten you...haven't bled you...they'll probably try…" She said and he nodded, frowning slightly, eyes hardening.

"I know, they've gotten everyone else now...you and I...I think we're the last ones, so stay close to Dad and Draco until I get back." He said.

"And no following teleportations for you...it could be a trap…" Lucy warned him and he smiled, pressing into her again, kissing her, touching her face as she touched his. She stepped back then, very much unhappy he was leaving her side but it was necessary, only he could get everyone where they needed to go.

He left then and she returned to Wendy, the bath attendants had cleaned the young woman as Wendy had helped Arman and Draco clean Farron and Lucy was drying Wendy off while Arman and Draco took care of Farron. The Prince remained unconscious, but that probably wasn't a bad thing.

Once they were clean and dry, the smells of their ordeal taken away by the waters of the Grass Sea that steamed in the large bath. Farron was placed in their bed by Draco and Wendy quickly slid under the covers with him, curling around her mate, kissing his face and smoothing his thick hair from his brow where it always seemed to fall.

"I've had some food brought up Wendy, I want you to eat something, and when Farron wakes, I want you to make sure he eats." Arman said firmly but gently. He frowned in worry when she didn't respond.

"Wendy, look at me." He demanded and pained haunted brown eyes flew to his and almost made his wince. "Eat something, you'll do Farron no good if you're weak from hunger." He said and Wendy nodded, Lucy brought a tray over and slid onto the bed beside Wendy, figuring the woman would likely be more comfortable if she could keep herself touching Farron, she understood how much that direct contact, skin on skin, mattered, it had been life breathing back into her when Zen had finally come back for her.

Arman watched as Lucy coaxed Wendy to eat. His fingers already sliding around the com lacrima in his pocket, he turned and went to the sitting room off the bedroom where servants had already set up blankets and pillows on the lounges, knowing the King wouldn't leave his son and daughter in-law and that Zens Fiance wouldn't either.

He pressed in a number and pushed magic into the lacrima, a few moments later, Kaleb appeared, a welcoming smile on his face that quickly fell at the angered look on his fathers face.

"Kaleb, Farron and Wendy were abducted by Nightmare...they...tortured Farron, we have him back, Zen is already working to trace them, I need you here, you and Erik, Wendy isn't handling what happened well and...just get here, as fast as you can." He said. Kaleb smiled faintly at that, the horrified look on his face not quite wiped away by it.

"Dad, the teleport pads are done, I was there on my island yesterday...I'll be there in a few minutes, I'll call Bickslow and the others, Vander and Rogue would be particularly helpful…" His son said. Nodding, Arman disconnect the call, letting out a sigh of relief before turning to look out a near by window, granting the room a breathtaking view of some of the islands.

Where he had already loved the idea of the teleport pads before, allowing for easy visits between him and his children, now he was downright grateful to Levy. She had been the one to find the book hidden in the library that listed the long unused teleport pads between the islands. She had also been the one to suggest reactivating them for visits, possibly more, and add one in a secure, hidden room in the Fairy Tail guild. Now, the family were the only ones able to activate that transport, which would land them in a hidden room that had been hastily added on after Levy found that book.

Hearing running footsteps, Arman was quick to turn as the door was slammed open, grateful to see Kaleb, Cobra, and Bickslow dart into the room. Seeing them, Arman knew that the battle being quietly raged against their family was going to be a long one.


	7. Chapter 7

OK, shorter chapter, more of a fille, I'm sorry, please keep the maiming to a minimum, life, holidays, and this one fought me tooth and nail, but hopefully the next chapter will come out more smoothly, and thus have an update sooner! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

True to his word, Kaleb was there in less than an hour, Lucy flying into his arms the moment he came through the door. The three months Zen had been gone, she had gotten very close to Kaleb and Erik, the two men were now her closest friends and next to Zen, her greatest comforts.

"You have to help Wendy, she's blaming herself for what happened…" She whispered into Kalebs ear and he kissed her forehead, smiling at her and pulling back to let Erik pull her into a hug while he walked back to his father.

Armans usual barriers and such that normally kept Kaleb at bay were frayed and Kaleb sensed it immediately, the stress of everything, of what had been happening for almost a year now and what had just happened was telling on the King.

"I'll see where Farron is, Bickslow should be back here soon, he's just getting his mates settled in their chambers, we're all going to stay here in the Palace Dad, everyone came, even Emzadi waddled her pregnant self through the teleporter, slapping Laxus when he said he didn't want her to risk travel." He chuckled and Arman smiled in spite of himself, standing.

"I...I need to go see her." He looked toward the bedroom and Kaleb reached out, pulling his father to him, pressing their foreheads together.

"Dad...for once, let your children help, go to Emzadi before she has to beat Laxus back and come here herself, she shouldn't be using stairs." He said and Arman nodded, kissing his sons temple, Kaleb had always been so strong, he and Farron were the pillars of his children.

Kaleb went to the bedroom, Erik and Lucy not far behind him, finding Wendy curled around Farron quietly sobbing. Her pain lanced through him, what she had seen almost bringing him to his knees, he reached out and stabilized himself with the beds footboard.

He forced Wendys immense anguish aside and reached into his brother, smiling faintly, Farron was strong, his will firmly in tact, consciousness was being held at bay so his body could recover, use the healing magic, regain its balance. The worst thing Farron was struggling with was Wendy, how she had reacted as he was tortured, how she was right now was taxing his brothers spirit.

Kaleb turned his attention to Wendy then, sliding onto the bed beside her and pressing his hand gently against her back.

He could ease the sharpness of her memories, take them completely from her if he had to, Bickslow could then purge them from her soul so nothing could dredge them up and as turbulent and drenched in anguish as she was, it seemed he'd need to do that.

He looked to Erik, who was standing at the foot of the bed frowning, pain in his indigo gaze.

 _You have to...she can't handle it and she's weakening Farron, Farron can deal with it but she can't...Wendy has always had a soft heart, this shit will ruin her_. Eriks voice came and Kaleb nodded, moving his hand to the back of Wendys head he let his magic flow and Wendys body relaxed, her crying stopped and she slid down, her head resting on Farrons shoulder, sleep taking her at Kalebs command.

It wasn't a pleasant task, to remove the memories he had to experience them, pull them cleanly out of Wendys mind and memories and gently weave new ones. He kept it simple, putting into her uncomfortable blackness, she would remember only she wasn't conscious, that her ability to wake was kept from her. Bickslow was the only one who could remove what she remembered coming through her bond with Farron.

Bickslow actually came into the room while Kaleb was working, frowning as his eyes flared with his magic, taking in his brothers condition and Wendys but smiling faintly as Wendys soul lightened as his brother worked, pulling away the memories, the pain.

It was the finest thing in Kalebs magic, he felt, it's ability to heal a shattered mind, to ease trauma, take pain away. Mindbenders were rare, a Mindbender of Kalebs caliber hadn't been seen in centuries. Erik watched it happen, felt his mate work, shared the experience with him of taking in Wendys horrific experience.

They would ease Farron too, remove the memory of Wendy being brought in, and how much her reactions had hurt him. Bickslow slid up beside Kaleb, his brother holding Wendy and making her eyes open so Bickslow could gain access, then putting a hand on his brothers shoulder as Bickslow, just like he had, went through the experience Wendy had gone through.

Farron was far easier to deal with, their eldest brother was strong, so much more so than anyone ever realized, like their father Farron was stable, a rock that could weather almost anything. He likely would have been able to deal with all of his memories, but just because they could, because it would help and ease his burden, they took those few away that were the worst.

Almost before Bickslow and Kaleb had slid from the bed Farrons eyes opened and sat up in a sudden jerk, whipping his head over to look at Wendy, bending over her, running his hands over her sleeping face and kissing her over and over before he acknowledged his brothers.

Kaleb and Bickslow both being present made him frown and pull Wendy into his arms, she stirred a little, her arms winding around him as she nuzzled her cheek against his bare chest, purring softly.

"If you're both here...it was bad...worse than I remember…" He said quietly, frowning at them.

Kaleb shrugged. "Bad enough, Dad's with Emzadi, she's here, we're all here, it's time the Pradesh family took this on full force." He replied.

Farron nodded, cupping Wendys chin, it alarmed him his brothers were both in here with them, what he remembered was horrific, if they were here...it meant the experience was worse than he would ever be able to recall because Kaleb and Bickslow had worked together to remove memories from both mind and soul.

Judging by the diminished magic energy he felt from them both...the work had been heavy. His pale blue eyes snapped up to Kaleb fierce demand in them. "Did they rape her? Is that what you took?" He hissed.

Kaleb shook his head. "No...thankfully, all they did to her was take her blood, you were the one they hurt the worst Farron and Wendy couldn't deal with that, she won't remember much, you we only barely touched, I figured...you're strong enough to deal with it." Kaleb said.

Farron nodded, pulling Wendy more closely to him. "Thank you...where is Dad...I should…" He started to lay Wendy down and Erik growled, the sound making him stop and look up in surprise.

"Your ass will stay here, get some sleep, cuddle the hell out of her, whatever, but stay with Wendy, you can help tomorrow." Erik snapped. Kaleb smiled sliding up behind his mate and wrapping his arms around him, resting his chin on Erik shoulder as he stared Farron down.

His older brother sighed and slid down into the bed, drawing Wendy fully against him.

"Fine, then get the hell out of our bedroom so we have some privacy." He growled and Erik smirked, turning into Kaleb and humming when his mates lips pressed into his.

 _I love it when your forceful...sexy as hell you got my brother to back down_ … Kaleb purred in his head and Cobra growled at him, letting Kaleb pull him from the room behind Bickslow and Lucy.

 _I'll be forceful...I'll force you to your knees later_ … He teased and Kalebs eyes met his, darkening, a wicked smile lifting his lips.

 _You can try...who says I might not want to tie that commanding body down and have my way with it_? Kaleb returned.

 _Oh you'll have to get me before I get you for that_ … Cobra waited until Kaleb had sat down then slid his hand into the mans silken hair and wrenched his head back, kissing him hard enough to make him moan.

Bickslow snickered shaking his head and hugging Lucy. "I think I'm going back to my mates, fill them in on how everyone's doing and maybe get some of what they're up to…" He said nodding toward the pair now making out on the couch.

Lucy giggled. "Yeah, good idea, I'll wait here and um...try to keep them clothed or maybe shove them into the office over there since Arman and Zen should be back soon to check on Farron and Wendy." She said lightly.

Bickslow nodded. "See ya in the morning cosplayer." He smirked, looking at Kaleb and Cobra. Cobra had his brother pinned on his back on the couch now, a knee holding one of the mans arms down as the Poison Slayer straddling him, hand still fisted in the back of Kalebs hair, lips locked.

"Kaleb...Cobra...Arman has a bed set up in the office…" Lucy tried tentatively

Erik and Kaleb stilled, breathing hard pulling away from each other. Kaleb looked at her, face flushed, eyes dark. "Sorry Lucy...seeing…" Kalebs voice failed when Erik moved to get off of him and ground his hips down into Kalebs before he did it with a wicked smirk.

Kaleb squeezed Cobras ass hard enough the man hissed and cleared his throat "...Seeing a bond tested like that sort of…" He shrugged, sitting back up, not bothering to hide how much he and Cobras little bonding session had affected him.

Lucy smirked, she'd been around the pair enough she knew they always struggled with keeping their hands off each other. They dealt with helping others alot and seeing pain always made them desperate for each other, stirring memories of when it was them that had endured through a tremendous ordeal before they were mated.

"It's ok, I almost jumped Zen in front of your Dad for the same reason." She admitted and both men smiled at that.

"Well you can jump me now...Dad's not here." Zen's voice slightly preceded his appearance in a soft flash of gold and Lucy grinned, lunging into his arms. He kissed her back, arms wrapped tightly around her, taking his fill and giving her hers before he pulled back and gave his brother any attention.

"Teleport mages took the lacrimas we found to their ends and they were random locations, though the three we took all went to Fiore. So it's likeliest they retreated there but Beck is using dolphins to check every single underwater cave that could possibly be used like this for any sign of activity. We broke everything down in the place they took Wendy and Farron, cleared it and collapsed the fucking thing so if they try to teleport in again, they'll do so into either rock or water." He told them. "Becks search will likely take the rest of the night so I came back to check in and get some rest..." He stalled a moment, eyes unfocused and a smile curled his lips.

"So uh...Farron and Wendy are awake and apparently well enough for some pretty warm cuddling I hear…" He smirked and Cobra and Kaleb both grinned nodding.

"Well, we'll retire to my rooms then, White Sea had already gone over the palace again, laying new runes and wards since Nightmare got through what was in place.." Kaleb said.

"Did...did Farron recall anything helpful?" Zen asked.

Kaleb frowned. "Two things. The handmaiden from Bosco, who once served in the palace that disappeared months ago?" Realizing Zen wouldn't be familiar with that Kaleb sighed. "One of Princess Kurinos handmaids vanished a few months ago, it was all over the news, there was a huge search for her, Kurino was half crazed, almost started a war with Stella over it, anyway, the woman, Lula, was one of the people who captured Farron, her and Rotbull were in charge of it. Also...It was Nightmares guildmaster who first assaulted Farron in that cave, tormented Wendy mercilessly too, memories we had to wipe because they were going to destroy her. Anyway, Nightmares Guildmaster is a woman who wears the jawless skull mask that's the guild emblem." Kaleb said.

Zen nodded and was about to open his mouth when the door opened and Arman came in.

"We'll have a meeting in the morning to discuss what our next course of action will be, I've spoken with Makarov of Fairy Tail and of course we have you here Kaleb but I don't plan to wait to find out what that dark guild is up to, or for them to do to Lucy and Zen what they did to too many others in this family." Arman said with a dark look in his usually merry eyes.

He looked at his children and their spouses. "Go to bed, breakfast and the family meeting will be at 8. Have a good night, I'm staying here with Draco tonight...I just...won't be able to sleep anywhere else." He said, though his eyes warmed when he heard the soft sounds coming from Farron and Wendys room.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

The moment Wendy woke she was all over Farron, her hands lighting up with her pale green magic so she could thoroughly go over him and he smiled, letting her do it because he knew she needed to. "You're going to need a few days rest, so the work the magic did can settle and balance well. I…" Her eyes slid over his bare chest, her fingers trailing over the eagle on his chest, it and the one on his hip got a lot of attention from her, they were like targets.

"I'm tired love, but not dead, and I want your touch...you have no idea how badly I want it...you can make it all go away...just touch me...kiss me…" Farron breathed, reaching out a hand and trailing it down the side of her neck over the front of her shoulder then lightly lingering on her breast until her eyes closed and she moved closer to his touch.

She started touching him then, and his smile was warm as he put his hands of hers, guiding them over his body where he wanted her touch. The baby blue eyes heated, his lips parting in soft sighs and Wendy licked her lips, climbing over him, straddling his lap where he sat with his back against the headboard.

Her lips started following her hands and she was surprised when her dragon all but took over, guiding her. In Dragons, females could steal each others mates, it did happen, a powerful Queen could lay her mark over a weaker ones, sway the weaker queens mate from her against his will, use him to help her attack and kill the weaker queen then the stolen mate, of course, died. Farron had been attacked, used by another female, and Wendy had to reaffirm her claim on him, take him back, he sensed it, didn't fully understand but knew he was in deep need of what she was doing, he ached for it, every touch, kiss, caress was bringing him back to her, clearing things between them, forgiving him and her at the same time for not being able to stop what had happened.

It was so much more than sex, more than even lovemaking, the tender nuzzling, cuddling, caressing and gentle loving they lavished on each other they both needed so much.

"I love you." Farron breathed as she moved on top of him.

"I love you too Farron...more than anything in this world…" Wendy whispered back, drowning in him, in their contact, closeness, their unified bodies, the pleasure less significant than the intimacy this time.

She trailed her nose up his neck, nuzzling into his hair while he ran his hands up her back and kissed her shoulder, her purrs making his eyes roll back as their bodies maintained a slow gentle rhythm, when he rolled her to her back and settled between her legs she wrapped them around him moaning out her end with whimpered endearments and he came moments behind her breathing out her name and something soft and sweet in Boscan.

They wrapped themselves around each other before finally falling asleep, Wendys face buried in Farrons neck, his in her hair. He would trust his family tonight, to keep them safe, to handle what needed to be done, and bask in his love for the woman he held who was the center of his world, and he wanted it no other way.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

"So everyone is on the same page." Kaleb said standing and looking over his family at the table. "The dark Guild Nightmare began doing blood draws on our family with Bickslow almost a year ago. They lured him, drugged him...abused him. Gajeel got him out of it, Levy was hit next, followed by Cobra, Gajeel and myself. They are known best for human trafficking, with trade agreements into Pergrande, Bellum and the Southern kingdoms, though most of what they do is with Pergrande, selling to their laboratories. We know from the recon work Vander did after Levy was taken that they also have a deal with Seven primarily for female mages with uncommon magic." Kaleb lifted the report folder he had assembled.

"They have avoided setting foot in Bosco or taking Boscans so they've been off White Seas radar until this year. I've worked with my co-master Gaza and the Boscan and Archipelago branches of White Sea are now sistered with Fairy Tail, with a teleportation pad linking Archipelago branch with Fairy Tail, Fairy Tail has adopted the guild hall on Aigne as it's branch and is sharing the hall with White Sea. Laxus and myself will run the Archipelago branches...at least until Laxus takes over the main one in Magnolia. From Cobra, Gajeel and I they became erratic, seizing opportunities that made it clear we have all been under serious observation. This morning, Zens hounds, under Vanders direction swept the palace and found over 200 listening lacrima beads hidden around within all our private chambers…" Kaleb looked around at the wide eyes all down the table.

"Fuck…" Cristoff snarled, the spoon he'd been flipping around his fingers snapped in half, Arman giving him a dark look for wrecking expensive silverware.

"A similar sweep was conducted in Fairy Tail with runes sent throughout by Freed, 150 listening beads were recovered. New wards have been laid, new runic defenses and rules implanted into the existing system for the palace and all of the island estates. Fairy Tail and White Sea have sent mages who are "on vacation" here increasing security, right now, the islands are secure, probably the most secure place we can all be but Archipelago and Aigne because of the Guild Hall are the safest." He nodded to Vander who stood.

"Ok, so, we know Nightmares Guildmaster has been in prison in Pergrande, pissed off the wrong people there and will likely die there. About a month after he went in, someone took over in his absence, we know there are 4 underlings that support the new boss and enforce HER rule over the guild, and yes, after Farron and Wendys abduction yesterday we know it's a woman leading that fucking guild. We also know Lula, the Handmaid who disappeared from Bosco a few months ago has turned up working with Nightmare, her and Rotbull are really friendly." He said and levelled his wine colored eyes on Zen.

"Of the royal family only Zen hasn't been collected by Nightmare and Rottbull told Farron they want him...bad. Some research into return logs and Wendys healing records back at Fairy Tail showed Lucy returned from a mission where she was recovered by Bickslow and Cristoff when Bix was out with Natsu, Lucy had to have a deep puncture wound on her arm healed consistent with the fucking needles they use, so they have her blood, they have the blood of nearly every female in Fairy tail. Odds are they wanted to cover bases, and may have multiple reasons for doing it. Rottbull did say they were and I quote "hunting Fairies" when they took Rogue and after that Fairy Tail has seen 47 false job requests submitting that would have drawn members to isolated abandoned places." Vander slid a hand into Rogues hair when he mentioned him, picking up the bloody file he'd taken when he had recovered Rogue right before they had mated.

"This file contains information on every single member of Fairy Tail, and the Pradesh family, it has the matings of Bickslow, Levy, Gajeel, Cobra and Kaleb listed as well as information on Emzadi and Laxus, Sting and Xally. Their habits, where they live, and what mages would be most effective against them. It mentions a Guildmaster referred to as "Queen" and a plan to use the royal family and their mates blood to access something. We haven't figured out just what yet, but the blood of royals, dragons, rare magic users of high power….it's all there and there are thousands of rituals it could be used for…" He said, boot on the seat of his chair, Rogues hand resting on his thigh Vander looked at Arman.

"I've pulled every favor I've ever had owed me, I have agents from Fiore to fucking Pergrande sniffing at ghosts of ideas. I believe our best bet is to recover one of the 4 underlings...I don't know about everyone else, but I'd fucking LOVE to bring in Rottbull and not so nicely interrogate him...to fucking death. But we'd have to find a way to get him out in the open, flush him out ya know?" He sighed and shoved a hand through his thick black hair, eyes on Rogues and he smiled faintly, Rogues ruby eyes warm on his, burning with the same blood lust Vander felt, the desire to hunt down their enemy, and make them pay.

"Bait…" Kaleb said calmly and Cobra growled, looking sharply at his mate. Kaleb met his mates burning gaze, sliding a hand to his face and Cobra immediately snapped a hand over his and held it there against his cheek.

"No, way the fuck too dangerous." He said firmly.

Everyone looked confused except for Farron, it was his memory Kaleb had gotten the idea from. "He wants Kaleb, really bad he wants him. Pure sex, doesn't need anything from him for any part of work, says he'd beg for it, will do whatever he has to to have him again…"

"No. Kaleb, they've already gotten their hands on you, there's one left. There's only one that is more tempting than you, and I...I don't know what it is, there's something here. I can see the dots, and I know they're connected, but how is just beyond my fingertips." Lucy spoke up, her voice firm as she lifted from her chair, grabbing the folder from Vanders hand to thumb through it. "They've been collecting blood from alot of guild mages, but the Pradesh family are the big tickets one that they want. There's something that they're wanting outside of us."

"Maybe...maybe it has something more to do with the family directly?" Levy said absently. She had been quiet the entire time, taking notes in the leather bound book that she had been given when Bix and Gajeel had proposed to her. She didn't know what exactly it was, but her instincts had been screaming for her to bring the book with. Sitting back, Levy tapped her pen against her lips, brows drawing together as she fought to connect the dots like Lucy was.

There was something, she knew there was. She was now a part of the strongest family on all of Earthland, whose power was hidden in plain sight. Looking at the family gathered around the long table, Levy let her mind lose some focus as it played over the information she already knew.

She knew it had something to do with the original family from years ago. It had something to do with Zen and Lucy as well. Where did they fit in all of this?


	8. Breaking News!

Back from the...Almost...Dead...

Live from the crazy world that is the inside of sassykittens head, here is the latest news of her current life, and the insanity that has kept her away for far longer than she'd like. Please stay tuned.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

The scene was set, the desire was there, and she could hear the quiet murmurs and gentle taps coming from the kitchen where two unexpected guests had ended up, claiming that it was what she needed. But that wasn't true. What she needed had abandoned her when she had needed it the most.

Her muse.

Sitting curled up on a well worn couch with a blanket tucked around her, a poorly neglected laptop tucked into her lap, tears could be seen trailing down her cheeks as she stared sadly at the still blank page in front of her. It had been months since she had touched a single key of her beloved computer, months since she had argued with her muse to create worlds that others would love. Sure, things had happened that were far beyond her control, but that wasn't the point.

Hearing a boom of thunder echo outside of the living room window, she jolted, tucking down deeper into the blanket draped around her shoulders and lightly sniffed. She didn't know what deities she had pissed off, but the last year had gone out with a rather large 'fuck you' and the new year appeared to be continuing the trend, at least for the next month or two.

The sound of a door being slammed open to hit the wall with a bone jarring crack had her shrieking, jumping and spinning around, nearly falling off the couch, only to come face to face with a rather close, furious face, blue gray eyes cold as death, and sparks flying around him. Whimpering, she was quick to shrink back as far away from the hulking behemoth towering over her. Alas, the couch kept her from going too far, and she found herself cornered against the arm and back.

"What the hell do you think you've been doing you lazy shit?! Haven't even cracked your computer open once until now, and still nothing?! What the fuck is that blank page bullshit?!" The tall blonde male snarled, bending over to growl into her face, not even backing down when her brown eyes behind thick lensed glasses widened, and more tears fell.

The little brown puppy burrowed in another blanket, napping at her feet, leapt up with a snarl to snap at Laxus's face. "Leave her alone, you big meany! She was sick!"

"Laxus! What is your problem?" A smaller decidedly more feminine blond stomped into the room, followed by a one eyed, maroon haired, glaring man.

"Yeah, asshole. You wanna put her back in the hospital or something?" A single purple eye glared at the big blond before the maroon-haired man held a bowl of soup out for the bedridden woman.

Gulping, trembling, the woman reached out to carefully take the bowl, bracing it on her chest even as she reached out for the puppy, scooping it into her lap, running gentle fingers down the bristling spine.

"It's ok Thera, it's ok. I can take it, besides he's not wrong. None of you are, but dammit I should've been able to do something..."

"Well with you feeding her its no wonder she was in the hospital!"

Cringing, the woman ducked her head down before lifting the bowl to her lips, sipping at the just over warm broth. Feeling movement against the neck of her skin, she reached up to run careful fingers over the soft nose of Nathair who had been drawn out of hiding, peeking his head out from under a fold of blanket.

"I'm a damn good cook when I wanna be Spark Plug."

"We are here to help her feel better, unlike some people."

"You two should be just as upset as I am! You are both being left in limbo in all her stories because she is neglecting us!"

"She isn't neglecting us on purpose you overgrown sparking twat-waffle! She almost fucking died!" Erik snarled, hands curling to keep from unleashing possible poison. He had seen Nathair peek his head out, and even now was a bit impressed with the names he could hear the little snake calling Laxus.

"What the hell are you idiots talking about? It's obvious she doesn't care anymore, she's never left any of us for this long before! So, what lame excuse did she give you bleeding hearts to win you over?" Laxus scoffed, arms crossing over his chest even as he continued to stare down at the cowering woman on the couch. His nose twitched slightly as he stared at the still growling brown puppy, trying to find out why the pup seemed so familiar to him. Flicking his eyes up to the small snake staring at him hard, he merely lifted his brow. Here was yet another character that had been neglected, created by the woman herself, and somehow he was in the wrong.

"Pull your big electric head out of your huge ass, Laxus Dreyer." Laxus blinked at the foul mouthed little canine. "For starters you are only seriously limbo-ing in, like, one of her stories right now, and that is Overkill Fieldtrip where you have your little water mage of a mate tucked right against your side. I know, because I put her there! And she has been helping as much as she can while she was hovering on the edge of death!" The puppy crawled up and tucked her head under the woman's chin. "Stupid dragon."

Huffing a little wetly, the woman finished the broth quickly before wrapping both arms around the puppy. "Thank you Therashae, you're a sweetheart." She murmured, continuing to give gentle scritches behind cute floppy ears.

Blinking a little in shock at the name, it took a moment before Laxus' jaw dropped when the name he heard connected.

"Wait, Therashae?! This little brown ball of fluff is Therashae?!" Laxus demanded.

Sighing in a bit of exhaustion, the woman looked up at him with tired eyes. "Yes, this is Therashae. When we visit each other in our own worlds to work with the stupidly stubborn characters that we are absolutely crazy about, we tend to be a bit different. She's more puppy like here, and when I go there, in her world, I turn into a little black kitten that drives her versions of you guys absolutely nuts at times."

"I've poisoned her furless more than once over there." Erik rolled his eyes before plopping down on the other end of the couch, crossing his own arms over his chest. "And yet, like a cockroach, she just keeps coming back. Don't know why the fuck we were so worried about her this time..." The enraged shriek that came from the still standing, smaller blondes soul had him wincing.

"You know why Erik. This was completely different." Lucy snapped, fisting her hands on her hips.

"Ok enough, obviously I'm missing something, what the hell happened?" Laxus demanded, furious gaze darting from one hostile glare to another before falling once more on the tired brown eyes of the woman on the couch.

"Want the long, short, or summary of what has been going on in the crap that is my life right now?" The woman asked with a sardonic smirk.

"Uhh... Summarize it? I really don't do the whole whining, sob story thing."

"Ok, short and to the point then. If it hadn't happened once before, on a much smaller scale, and I hadn't known what to look out for symptom wise, there is a very good chance I would've died in November of last year." The woman said with a shrug, glancing down at the soothing warmth of the ball of fur in her lap, missing the shocked look on the larger blondes face.

""That was, like, two months ago..."

""Hey look, guys! Sparkling dipshit can count! Besides, that wasn't the only crap that happened to her since the end of October, that was just the most severe thing." Erik huffed, scooting down further into the couch as he felt his own twang of guilt. "Look, I damn near reacted like you when I first showed up a few weeks ago, but I had the added benefit of hearing everything that happened in her soul. After that, even I felt like a complete dick, and that doesn't happen. Ever." He admitted, grumbling, casting his eyes to the side.

"Aww! Look, Lucy. Erik's heart is showing. I just wanna give him so many puppy kisses!"

"Do it and suck poison you brown lumped rat!"

"But you're so cute when you have feelings! I bet you taste like candy too! Like caramel! Ooh! Or chicken liver! I bet you taste like chicken liver! Please! Just one kiss! I promise I won't do more than one or ten!"

There was a flash of gold where Virgo appeared, left a bowl full of chicken liver on the couch between them, and disappeared once more.

"Well...looks like you got the chicken liver you wanted..." chuckling softly, the woman placed Therashae next to the bowl, giving her one last pet, before turning back to Laxus. "So...you still want the short and to the point? Or a few more details?"

Laxus watched the little brown puppy happily munch on the fried liver, extremely concerned that his future was in the hands of an insane dog and a slightly dead crying woman. Groaning, he ran his hands roughly over his face before plopping down on the chair that he had been standing next to, he heard Lucy head back into the kitchen. Eyeing the group on the couch, he saw the snake tuck itself back into the folds of blanket around the womans shoulders.

"Alright, so maybe a few more details would be good, but don't take forever, and please for the love of Mavis, don't start crying more than you already are."

Taking a deep breath, the woman nodded before beginning.

"Back in October, I came down sick with some stupid stomach bug that lasted about a week. A week went by, I was fine, then I got sick again, this time with a head cold. Again, lasted roughly a week. It sucked, but no big deal, it's happened before. It was the end of October that things started to go wrong." Pausing for a moment, the woman reached out take a sip of water from the glass Lucy had brought back in before leaning on the couch next to Erik.

"My dear Aunt Flo arrived, again, not really a big deal...until it lasted over a week, and the entire time it was heavy. One week turned into two, had a day or two with nothing, only for it to start again, still very heavy. This continued on throughout all of November. It was severe enough that I ended up in the hospital needing a transfusion of two units of blood. They even put me on medication to stop the bleeding. It didn't work. Roughly a week and a half later, I was back in the hospital after almost feinting at work and getting sick, and was admitted, only to have another transfusion, this time of four units." Pausing for a breath and another drink, she continued.

"So in total, in less than two weeks, I had to have six units of blood put back into me. And I'm fairly certain you're aware that a human body only has about eight units of blood in it. Obviously there was something wrong. After another week or two, it finally stopped. I thought I was in the clear. How wrong I was. About another week to week and a half later, I woke up to sharp stabbing pains, worse than cramps, in my lower right back, stabbing into my front. Back to the emergency room I went, and after getting a cat scan, it was found that I had a 7mm kidney stone in my right kidney, that I could not pass on my own, and was literally backing it up. I was given more medication, sent home, and told that I would be called to set up an appointment to get it handled."

Letting out a tired sigh, she closed her eyes and rolled her head on her shoulders before opening them once more, shrugging at the horrified look on the famed Thunder Gods face.

"The only drawback is it wouldn't have happened until after the first of the year. I still had a week before that happened. The pain became too much, even with the meds, and I went back in two days after Christmas to have an emergency surgery, where I was knocked out, and woke up to having a stent in me. From there I spent over a week with it in me, but finally got it removed. For the record, having a stent in is very uncomfortable, and painful when moving. Imagine the feeling of a uti, but with the knowledge that you don't actually have one. I'm still recovering from those things, and the month isn't done yet. I still have a consult to go go, so I can schedule another surgery to get my own tubes snipped. SO yea, I've been going through a lot the last few months."

"So basically her body tried to drain itself in order to die and escape her brain and when that didn't work it blocked the exits and tried to drown her. Painfully. Impressive really." Lucy slapped the back of Cobra's head. "Ow! Paws off woman!" Shooting a glare over his shoulder at the small blonde, he rubbed the back of his head before turning back to Laxus. "And now she has to cut a chunk of herself out to appease the gods of death and carnage." He was quick to dodge the next swipe Lucy sent after his head, but just barely.

Laxus rubbed his forehead. "OK. So..." The room waited silently for his apology. "Are you done dying now so we can get on with our stories?"

Lucy growled and the puppy pushed it's ears over it's eyes and pinned them there with it's little white paws.

"Shit! Scary Lucy! I'm out!" Erik proofed out of existence just like one of Lucy's spirits.

Chuckling quietly, the woman reached up to pat Lucy's hand. "It's ok Luce, I know he doesn't apologize often. At least now he knows, and I can tell him, and the other readers, that yes, I'm back, and as far as I'm aware, I'm done dying now. It may still take me a bit of time to get back to everything, and I have other ideas that have started planting tiny seeds, but I'm going to be working on updates slowly."

Turning back to Laxus, smirking evilly at the suddenly worried he gave her. "And besides, I'm going to be home for a week after the next, and hopefully last, surgery for a long time. My husband isn't going to let me do much so I'll be working on updates to help fend off boredom."

Patting Lucy on the hand once more, the woman smiled. "Go ahead and head on back, I'll be fine. I'll make sure to call if I need help with anything on my end ok?"

"You'd better. I have no qualms siccing Virgo on you if needed to make sure you do." Giving a quick sniff, Lucy disappeared like Erik had in a poof. Smiling gently, the woman lifted the little brown pup to give it an eskimo kiss. "Thank you for your help Therashae, I'll make sure to yell if I need help. I should be fine for now though, if you want to take this story and share it with the readers of Overkill?"

"Okie Dokie. Can do. Rest up good so we can do awesome stuff with all the dragon slayers making sexy eyes at their mates!" With a quick lick to the womans cheeks, Therashae the pup poofed out, a roll of paper clamped between her teeth. Turning back to the large blonde still sitting closed by, the woman began to smirk and suddenly Laxus felt very, very nervous.

"That's right Laxus, be nervous. Because come January 29th, I will be going through what will hopefully be the last of my surgeries for a VERY long time. And when that happens, I'll be on mandatory bed rest, leaving me with roughly a week or two to come up with all sorts of things to get back at you with. So just you wait, and be nervous, be very nervous."

He gulped.

0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0

That's right folks, what will hopefully be my last surgery for a good long time, will be happening on January 29th, and once I've recovered from that, no longer will I have to worry when dear Aunt Flo will pay a visit and potentially hospitalize me again. So please bear with me, I'm trying to get in what updating I can between now and then, and will then have roughly 2 weeks of bedrest to hopefully, finally, make some updates. Thank you all for you time!

 **Nathair flicks his tongue out in a silent wave**


End file.
